REWRITE: Fire and Ice
by Supergirl501
Summary: Ever wanted to be something more? Something more than what you already were? When it comes to Equivalent Exchange, you have to sacrifice something to gain something of equal value. How much would you sacrifice to make a name for yourself and make an impact in life? I'll tell you one thing... I'd sacrifice and risk everything I have to get there. EdxOC EdWin
1. Tremor in the Night

**Hey, everyone!**

**Well... I've decided to take a stab at my first Fullmetal Alchemist fic. Yay for me! ^.^ Of course, I'm not quite sure how good, or popular it will become, (considering the fact that my first fic on here was a huge hit); but, this is the first chapter after all :)**

**Oh, yeah, just so you guys know, this is kinda going to follow the Brotherhood series for a while, since it's a little closer to the manga everyone's familiar with, with a bit of my own plot twists. So, hopefully, you all won't get confused.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, or anything FMA-related. Just my OC ^.^**

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**Chapter I: **_**Tremor in the Night**_

I panted as I gave chase down the barely lit sidewalk after the crook, barging through unsuspecting pedestrians along the way. Man, this guy sure could run. He may have the speed, but he sure didn't have the stamina. I smirked to myself once I noticed that I was gaining up on him, who glanced over his shoulder every once in a while. Sorry, buddy. I wasn't going anywhere. This was going to be a piece of cake.

Suddenly, right before the crook had the chance to turn a corner, he whirled around to face me and stooped down towards the sidewalk. In mere seconds, he slammed a gloved hand on the concrete, and I caught a glimpse of a matrix with a few shapes and symbols to decorate his leather glove. As soon as I was close to tackling the thief, a blue light outlined the patterned sketched on the sidewalk, and soon I found myself slamming face-first into a wall of concrete. I was out cold for about a second or two before shaking myself out of a daze.

"Damn it," I hissed under my breath, as I glared at the retreating figure of the crook.

Not wanting to waste another moment, I quickly scrambled to my feet and hurried after the felon. So, Mr. Speedy knows alchemy? That would explain why he stole my jacket, containing my silver pocket watch. It was the only evidence that I was a State Alchemist, and if someone, specifically a military personal, saw _this_guy with the watch…. He could gain access to top secret stuff in the military! I had to get it back from him. If Mustang found out that I lost my pocket watch, I wouldn't hear the end of it from him…

Suddenly, the thief turned a corner, leading into a benighted alleyway. I slid to a halt, and then proceeded to chase down the thief, swiftly flipping over tin waste bins he shoved down. They rolled right underneath me, and my feet stuck the landing. This guy just wouldn't give up, would he? Seriously, if he weren't so greedy to get his hands on one of the State Alchemist Pocket Watches, he would become a great track runner.

As soon as I slid to a halt upon turning yet another corner in the maze of alleyways, I found the crook leaning over with his hands placed on his knees, panting from exhaustion. I smirked in triumph as I gazed down the alley at the exhausted man, and then I placed my hand on my hip. This chase was just about over. The crook probably thought that he lost me while climbing over that chain-link fence a while ago.

While running his hand through his thick locks of brunette hair, he glanced over his shoulder and gasped. "H-how long have you been standing there?"

"Oh, a few minutes or so," I answered, nonchalantly.

Then, I eyed at him sternly, and he began to slowly back away. After chasing this guy for almost an hour through the city, I was growing exhausted, and somewhat pissed off. I wasn't going to let this guy out of my sight, not until I retrieved my State Alchemist Pocket watch back from his cold, greedy hands; hell, I'd even kill him if he pushed me close enough to my breaking point.

"Now look here, buddy," I began, leaning my body against a dumpster with my arm resting on the lid. "I'm not much of a forgiver, but I do believe in second chances. Of course, if I were you, I'd hand over the jacket before things got ugly. But," I stood straight up again, shoving my hands into my pockets. "It's your choice. We could do this the easy way, or the hard way."

The crook only laughed. "I'd take any way if I'm getting it from a kid like you."

A pang of irritation struck through me. I glared at him with gritted teeth, while my hands formed a tight fist in my pockets. He did _not_ just say the "k" word. This guy was just asking for it... Sure my looks lead people off at times (hell, a few of them have actually thought I was much older than I really was), but I hated it... no, I _truly_despised it when people just saw me as nothing but a meek, insignificant little kid. Honestly, didn't anyone have common courtesy nowadays?

"That's it!" I screamed, yanking my fists out of my pockets.

After that, I dashed at full speed with my hand reeled back, ready to knock a few teeth out of the felon's insulting mouth. He swiftly dodged my punch; and then he swooped down to the ground, swiping his feet from underneath me. I landed flat on the cold, grimy floor of the ally, but quickly placed my hands on the ground, pushing my lower body into the air, and then I flipped backwards, landing on my feet.

Instantly, the man swept his leg around, ready to introduce my face to his foot. With the right timing, I quickly ducked underneath his leg as it twirled over my head, and then I lifted my own leg up, slamming my foot into his bulky abdomen. The crook was swept backwards, gliding across the grime that covered the ground, until his back hit the wall on the opposite side. I swept my leg around until I was in a crouching position, and kept my eyes focused on the fiend, who was struggling to regain his breath that had been knocked from him.

After a few moments passed, I smirked and stood up, folding my arms across my chest. "Had enough yet?"

The man only laughed weakly. "You're not too bad, kid."

Even though he, once again, said the 'k' word, I took his remark as a compliment. "Well, I have been known to deceive my adversaries by my appearance, but then I strike them with so much fear that they were trembling for weeks."

"Is that so?"

I grinned. "They don't call me the Tremor Alchemist for nothing."

With that, I quickly scratched a circle, with a few other shapes and insignias, in the ground and placed my hands on the edges. In an instant, the outline of the symbol began to glow a bright blue; and soon after, the ground began to shake violently. I could feel the vibrations within the Earth from hundreds of miles away as they coursed through my body, wracking every nerve within me; but, I was used to that feeling now. At first, it would always frighten me as soon as my body felt the slightest surge while transmuting; but now, I was confident in my abilities.

The tremors gathered together in the alleyway, and soon, a long, thin crack in the concrete began to widen into a gaping crevasse. The crook gaped in horror as the gap edged his way closer towards him, ready to swallow him whole, and then the fiend frantically glanced around for an easy escape. I smirked with satisfaction, knowing that I had him cornered this time; but suddenly, the fiend dropped down to the ground again, placing his gloved hand on the cold concrete. I didn't have time to counter his attack, until I received a face full of concrete.

The impact sent me flying backwards, until I landed roughly on the ground, sliding on my back against the concrete. Groaning in pain, I slowly sat up tenderly rubbing my stinging backside with my hand, and then I moved my hand upward towards my face, but then winced as my fingertips barely came in contact with my skin. That was going to hurt in the morning... And from the impact with the concrete pillar, I was sure to wake up to one hell of a shiner. Once my eyes locked onto the structure jutting out of the ground, I glared in frustration.

The transmutation circle was torn apart, and a few chunks of rubble with the designs still etched on them lay scattered around the protruding column of concrete. Great, just when I had the crook in checkmate. My eyes widened in realization at the thought; and then I quickly scanned passed the ruined circle for the thief, but to no avail. He had already disappeared.

_Not on my watch..._I thought to myself as I quickly scrambled to my feet.

As soon as I was upright, I dashed to the end of the alleyway, and then frantically glanced from left to right. Oh, when I found the fiend, I was going to open up the largest can of major pain on him! Glancing to the right, my eyes landed on the thief as anger began to boil up inside of me. He was crouched down on the ground, still wearing my black jacket with the chain of the watch hanging from the side pocket. I gave a quick glance at the brick wall behind him, and the walls surrounding him. He was trapped in a dead end.

This was it. No mercy this time.

I glowered at the man as I raced over to him. "You son of a-"

Suddenly, I noticed the corner of his mouth curl up into a smirk, and then I glanced down at the etching in the dirt in front of him. Before I had time to react, the felon placed his hands on the ground, activating the transmutation circle in the dirt. Once the glow lit up the insignia, the moisture in the air combined with the dirt on the ground, saturating it into thick, slippery mud.

I gasped as I placed my feet on the ground ahead of me, trying to slide to a stop, but I was too late. I slid across the patch of dirt, flailing my arms around in circles to keep my balance. The thief took off once again, while I closed my eyes, waiting for yet another impact with a solid, wall. Suddenly, two, leathery hands grasped my arms; and soon, I felt my body being pulled to the side, until my stinging back came in contact with chilling metal.

"Gotcha," a child-like voice echoed from behind me.

Arching an eyebrow in confusion, I slowly glanced up at my rescuer. I had to incline my neck up at far as it would allow me because of the height difference between us; but as soon as I was able to make out the figure's head, my eyes landed on a helmet, reflecting the moonlight off its metal.

"Al?" I inquired.

"Hey, Dani," he answered cheerfully.

_Then, that must mean..._I thought, as I gazed out into the ally where the crook had taken off.

He was still in the same alleyway, thank goodness, so there was still a chance for me to regain my stolen pocket watch. Of course, that was when my eyes landed on an undersized blonde brawling against him, swiftly dodging nearly every attack thrown at him. His long, crimson coat swayed to and fro as he twirled and dodged every attack that was thrown at him. I shot a glare at the boy, who busied himself with fighting off the felon by taking him on with his assortment of combat moves.

"Edward," I growled.

Seriously... he thought he was so amazing just because he was favored and gossiped about through Central. I scoffed at the mere thought. Please... Just because he could transmute things by clapping his hands without a circle didn't make him Superman. Of course, both of us were the youngest state alchemists known around the city, I was actually younger; but everywhere I traveled, it was always "Fullmetal-this" or, "Fullmetal-that". Come on, people! What am I? Chopped liver?

After a minute or two, Edward clapped his hands together and placed them on the ground. Instantly, icy-blue bolts of lightning shot out from around his hands, and the cement slithered its way over the thief's feet, leaving him immobile. Ed smirked at his handiwork, while I only rolled my eyes at his cockiness, and then the miniscule blonde picked up the jacket that had fallen on the ground and slung it over his shoulder.

"You should learn to keep an eye on your stuff, Dani," he spoke, handing me the jacket.

I only growled in reply and snatched the jacket from him, not really in the mood to talk to him at the moment.

"What?" Ed asked, placing his hands on his hips. "No 'Thank You'?"

"I could've taken care of him myself, Elric," I grumbled, slipping my arms through the sleeves.

"Really?" he spoke, in disbelief. "Because it looked like you were having fun on your little slip-and-slide."

"I weakened him for you!" I snapped, whirling around to face him. "That's why you took him down so easily. No pipsqueak like you could take on a guy like that."

At that moment, Ed glared up at me with his eyebrow twitching in annoyance. I returned his glance with my own icy stare. His golden eyes were burning with rage, and I was sure that my emerald green ones were just as piercing. The suit of armor was shrinking away from Edward and I as if our fiery rage were a blazing bonfire surrounding us, and poor Alphonse was worried about being scorched. I ignored him and continued my stare off with the oldest Elric brother.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SMALL THAT HE CAN'T EVEN BE SEEN WITH A MICROSCOPE?" Ed screamed.

"YOU, DUMBASS!" I retorted. "WHO DID YOU THINK I WAS TALKING ABOUT? AL?"

"WELL, YOU'RE JUST AS SHORT!"

"BUT, I'M STILL TALLER THAN YOU!"

"BY TWO INCHES!"

"Guys..." Alphonse spoke calmly. "Let's not fight..."

"HE STARTED IT!" I snapped, pointing at the blonde.

"SHE STARTED IT!" Ed hollered at the same time as me, while jabbing his finger in my face.

"Is there a problem here?" a deep, calm voice spoke, right before I was about to strangle to living crap out of the blonde.

Edward and I snapped out of our quarrel and turned to find a tall man dressed in a dark, blue military uniform. With his piercing, black eyes and clean-shaved visage, he was bound to attract attention for admirers (heck, he was probably a heart-breaker as a child!), while his jet black hair was unkempt, and fell over his eyes somewhat. Needles to say, he was the very picture of an attractive, sophisticated man in the prime of life.

"Colonel Mustang," Edward spoke, as he and I both stood straight in salute.

"At ease, boys," the colonel spoke coolly. "What's with all the commotion?"

"Well, sir," I began. "I was in the middle of catching the crook, and almost had him, until the blonde hobbit here showed up."

Edward twitched once again in annoyance. "Oh yeah? Well for your information, _I_was the one who took him down!"

"Only because I weakened him for you!" I retorted.

"At least I don't have to use transmutation circles!"

"JUST BECAUSE YOU CLAP YOUR HANDS AND PUT THEM ON THE GROUND DOESN'T MAKE YOU MR. AWESOME! BESIDES, I'VE BEEN PRACTICING!"

The blonde scoffed. "_AND _FAILLING!"

I growled as I gritted my teeth together and clenched my hands into fists. Okay, now he was starting to push my buttons again. I glared down at him, holding back the urge to enter a full-fledged brawl.

"That's why they call it practice, shortie!" I snapped.

"HUMAN TOOTHPICK!" Edward screamed.

"BIG HEAD!"

"LONE WOLF!"

I flinched at his last remark. Up to now, the two of us were nose-to-nose with our eyes locked onto one another's'; hazel versus green. I could feel the fiery rage in my body ready to burst, giving Edward one hell of a punch in the kisser! But, I stood up straight releasing a deep breath to cool myself down. Man, Ed sure knew how to push me to my breaking point; but, as much as I wanted to knock his lights out, I couldn't force myself to; mainly because the colonel was still standing there.

I sighed as I ran a hand through my cropped black hair with a blonde streak on my bang, but I didn't speak a word to either of the men before me. Adjusting my black military cap on my head, I whirled around on my heel and walked off down the alleyway.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Edward called out.

"For a walk," I answered, blandly, not turning back to them.

The blonde alchemist sighed. "Well, just be sure to be back at HQ before dawn. We have to catch the train to Lior first thing tomorrow morning."

I gave him a wave, indicating that I understood him; and as soon as I turned the corner, I released a sigh before continuing down the alleyway. As soon as my feet reached the sidewalk, I glanced over to find the other military troops were hauling the cuffed felon into the back of the military car. Some of the troops acknowledged me, but I only returned their gesture with a wave.

After taking a few paces down the sidewalk, I came to halt and gazed up at the clear night sky. The moon hung in the sea of darkness like a fishing hook; but, sadly, the stars weren't able to be seen, mainly because of the city lights brightening up the sky somewhat.

"Hey, Dani!" a cheery voice called out.

I gasped, startled; but before I had the opportunity to stop and glance over, an arm quickly wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me towards another body.

"I was so worried when I received the call about you chasing after that crook!" the figure added.

His paternal voice was easy to identify; and when I glanced over at him, I discovered that my intuition was right. It was a tall, lean man, dressed in a sharp, blue military uniform that was identical to Mustang's. He had spiked, black hair ending in a forelock that hung in front of his face, while a thin chinstrap of a scruffy bear was placed on his face. His rectangular specs protected his sparkling hazel eyes, which were filled with so much joy that it spread a smile across his face.

As glad as I was to see him again for the first time in a long time, I sighed, "Hey, Hughes."

"What's the matter, Dani?" he inquired. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"I am," I answered. "I'm just not really in the mood to talk."

"Oh," the soldier spoke glumly, releasing me for a moment. He stood up straight, placing a hand on his chin in thought as he glanced away; but then, his smile returned as he held me once more. "I know just what'll cheer you up!"

With that, he fished his hand around in his coat pocket and drew out a photo graph of a little girl with light brown hair and pig tails, playing outside in the snow. She was wearing a thick coat and leggings, along with a pair of boots, gloves, and a knitted hat. The little girl was smiling at the camera as she placed a giant ball of snow on top of the larger one.

"Isn't she cute?" Hughes inquired. "This one is of her very first time making a snow man!"

I mentally deadpanned. This was the umpteenth time the man had shown me pictures of his daughter; heck, he would wander around the cafeteria and show of a new picture everyday to anyone he could find.

"It's hard to believe how much little Elicia's grown," I commented.

"I know," the proud father spoke, standing up as tears welled up in his eyes. "It seems like only yesterday I was holding her for the first time! They grow up so fast!"

I sighed. "Listen, Hughes... Thanks for trying to cheer me up, but I think I'm going to take a walk now."

With that, I turned away from him and continued down the sidewalk. At least he had only one photo of his daughter and not an entire album, or else I, and pretty much everyone else, would be up all night.

As I continued my walk through the city, I couldn't help but listen to Edward's voice echoing in my mind. It was true that I had been a lone wolf for a long time, as long as I could remember actually. Typically, whenever I was around Hughes, I felt more comfortable and at home. He was a father-figure to me, mainly because of his overflowing love, especially for his own daughter. Now that I was a military dog, all I had were the memories of my life to hold on to while every day I risked my life, staring death in the face. That was the life of a soldier in a nutshell.

Upon reaching headquarters, I stopped as I gazed into the window of a small home. It was a large window with the curtains drawn open, revealing a fairly large, and well-lit living room with the furniture arranged with the sofa sitting just a couple of meters in front of the fireplace. On the couch sat a man in his late twenties/early thirties smiling down little girl, who was around the age of eight or so. A book was placed in front of them, as the father read aloud to his little girl; and after a while the mother walked into the room, smiling at her husband and daughter, who had fallen asleep in her daddy's arms.

I sighed as I turned my attention back down the road, wishing that I was as lucky as the little girl.

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	2. Talk of the Town

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**Chapter II: **_**Talk of the Town**_

The train released a low whistle as it thundered down the tracks. Small towns and homes were scattered around the lush green hills, which were dotted with a few large trees. The bright sun shone down on a lake, which was planted in the middle of the radiant valley, with the sun's reflection glistening off the surface of the water. Children swam around in the water and laughed as they splashed on another, while the parents and couples strolled down the trail, taking in the beauty of it all.

I watched the scene through the window as the train stormed through the valley; and as soon as it disappeared towards the caboose, I released a sigh, and folded my arms, laying them on the table between the seats where I, as well as the Elric boys, sat. We left the station about an hour ago; but if you ask me, it felt more like three or five hours! Alphonse and his brother would chat about some gossip spreading around in Lior; but, for the next fifteen minutes or so, silence fell amongst us.

Releasing a heavy sigh, I buried my face in my arms. "Are we there yet?"

I heard Ed chuckle. "Impatient much?"

Lifting my head up slightly, I shot a glare across the table at the blonde boy. "Well, I probably wouldn't be if I was told beforehand that this trip was going to take ALL DAY."

"Trust us, Dani," Edward said, with that smirk. "You'll get used to the traveling after a while."

I groaned, burying my face in my arms once more. _For your information, Elric,_ I thought to myself._ I've been traveling way longer than you have._

Seriously, the Fullmetal Alchemist's cockiness was starting to irk me to my breaking point. In fact if he pushed me close enough, I'd personally, open the train window, grab him by his cloak and hurl him outside. I grinned, imagining his scream as he lived like a bird for a few seconds before crashing into a tree, sliding to the ground unconscious. As cold and harsh as it sounded, it was tempting.

"Brother," Al whispered interrupting the silence that fell among us. "The rumors about the priest in Lior... Do you think they're true?"

"You mean his '_miracles'_?" the blonde alchemist inquired, in disbelief.

I lifted my head up slightly at Al's question. The suit of armor gazed down at his older brother, who rested his elbow on the window sill with his head in his hand. I raised an eyebrow at the two of them. Priest in Lior? What was he talking about? What was so great about a priest that sparked Al's interest? As absurd as it sounded to me, I continued to listen to the Elric's conversation.

"It's said that he can create flowers out of thin air, right?" Edward continued.

_Flowers created out of thin air?_ I repeated in my mind. Sounded more like transmutation to me. From the look on Edward's face, he seemed to take the fact of transmutation without exchange was a bunch of bull. Even I understood _that_. Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange: Humankind _can't_ receive anything without sacrifice something of equal value. But, honestly... transmuting objects out of _thin air_? I scoffed, rolling my eyes at the thought. Where was the equivalent exchange in all of that?

The blonde Alchemist shrugged. "It's probably just some sleight of hand or something."

True. Edward did have a point there (and I rarely agreed with the blonde shortie). It would be confusing to consider this priest's 'miracles' were a form of transmutation, so it had to be some sort of magic trick.

"But..." Al's voice spoke. "What if it isn't?"

I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I stared at the two brothers. Then, I noticed the edges of Edward's lip curl into a smile; and whenever the Fullmetal Alchemist had _that _smile, he had a plot in mind. What was he thinking about? Raiding the priest's home just to find out his dirty little secrets about his "miracles"? Well, that was something I could visualize Edward doing, especially if he was desperate.

"If it isn't," the blonde began, "then I guess all that leaves is the real thing."

I sighed as I sat up straight in the wooden booth. My brain was throbbing from all of the logical thinking I was putting into this whole 'miracles' ordeal. Was it alchemy or not? It could only be either one or the other. I glanced down at the ground, rubbing my temples with my fingers in a circular motion, relieving myself from a migraine. Then, I began to wonder what Edward was talking about as 'the real thing'.

"Okay, just what are you two babbling on about now?" I asked, crossing my arms and glancing up at them.

The two brothers glanced over at me, probably thinking that I was asleep, allowing them the freedom to talk about whatever they wanted to. Honestly, it was difficult to fall asleep when you have two talkative boys sitting a few feet across from you, talking about who-knows-what. I only gazed from the two brother's waiting for their answer.

"Oh, just some _adult_ stuff," Edward answered nonchalantly, as he crossed one leg over the other and rested his arms on the back of the seat. "Stuff that's too complex for _kids_ like you."

I gritted my teeth together as I growled under my breath. He said that on purpose, just to piss me off; I could tell. I wasn't in the mood for Edward's teasing at the moment. I held back every urge to clobber him, for fear of causing a scene and getting kicked off the train. Instead, I fixed my eyes on the blonde across from me.

"Excuse me, Elric," I began curtly. "But, I do believe I'm _older_ than you."

The blonde only shrugged and looked out the window. "Physical maturity and emotional maturity are completely different."

Oh, so now he's calling me immature based on my behaviors? I can count on two hands, naming all the times that Edward has acted immature. Heck, he's probably had multiple episodes before I was even partnered with them.

"Whatever," I huffed as I folded my arms across my chest and plopped down in the seat. "Anyway, what's so great about this priest that's got your interest?"

"Well," Edward began again, "because this 'miracle performing priest'," he made quotes with his fingers as he spoke the words, "can pull stuff out of thin air. We either have two logical answers."

"Either the priest uses sleight of hand, or he's using alchemy," Alphonse added.

"But, if he's using alchemy to pull off these so-called miracles," Edward continued, "then he _must_ be using something to amplify his powers. Most likely the Philosopher's Stone."

Sighing, I shook my head. Of course... everything led down to the Philosopher's Stone. Back when I was first paired up with the Elric brothers, all they did was sit around the library for hours upon hours looking up any information they could find about the stone. Honestly, when I first received news that I would be partnered with the Fullmetal Alchemist, I thought for sure that I was going to be off on an adventure to distant lands, not stuck with some cocky teen with his nose stuck in a book all day.

"No offense, you guys," I began, "but, you two talk for hours about that Colossal Stone -or whatever it is. I mean, is it really _that_ important to you?"

Al and Edward stared at me, as if I had instantly grown a second head. What? Something I said? Geez, these two were acting like the fate of the world depended on that rock. To them it meant something, but what good was it worth fighting to obtain? From what I heard, it was more of an urban legend, since it was such a rarity. The two brothers glanced at each other before turning their attention back towards me.

"Finding the Philosopher's Stone is _very _important to us, Dani," Al spoke, his young voice echoing through his armor.

"What's so great about it?" I asked. "It's just a rock."

"It's not 'just a rock'," Edward explained, with a deathly serious tone. Then he rested his arm on the window sill, gazing at the passing scenery. "The Philosopher's Stone is said to be a powerful transmutation amplifier. It's been said to have destroyed the city of Xerxes in one night. Alchemy text books say that it was sealed away by the Eastern Sage; and even though it goes by different names, it's always the same thing." Then Ed released a chuckle. "The sad thing about those books is that it tells you about the Stone except where to find it."

I eyed the blonde skeptically. _Amplifying your alchemy powers, huh?_ I thought. _Sounds to me like you're trying to raise the bar higher just so that I can't pass, or match, you, Elric._

The two brothers still never answered my question about why _they_ wanted their hands on the stone so badly, but it was obvious to me why Edward needed it. Just another ego boost. Like his head wasn't full of hot air already. Shrugging the thought off, I reclined myself in the booth, with my back leaning against the wall and my legs propped up on the seat. I wasn't going to get much of a conversation out of these two if they kept chattering on about the Stone. It seemed like it was the only thing on their minds.

"Well," I spoke to the two boys, adjusting my black cap downwards until the visor shielded my eyes, "If Lior's gonna be another five hours or so, wake me when we get there."

With that, I folded my arms across my chest and closed my eyes, waiting for the arms of sleep to take me away. Edward spoke something else about the Philosopher's Stone to his brother, but I ignored him, allowing the thundering wheels on the train track to block out any other sound, while the booth bounced every time the train jumped. Soon, I was off into dreamland.

**~ . . * . . ~**

"Dani," Al's soft voice broke through my mind.

I moaned, tossing my head to the side, wishing for just a few more minutes of peace. It felt like only seconds had passed while I was dreaming; plus, the wooden train seat wasn't too comfortable, especially in the lounging position I was in. But, as I slowly opened my eyes and glanced out the window, I noticed that the sun was rising in the east, casting its warm rays over the mountains in the distance, and brightening up the early morning sky. A small town with a giant chapel towering over all the other buildings came into view, and that was when I realized that the train had finally arrived.

Suddenly, I felt something being swept off the top of my head; and when I reached my hand up, I placed it on the top of my head, feeling nothing but my smooth hair. Raising an eyebrow, I glanced over across the table to find the suit of armor still staring out the window at the city; but then my eyes trailed over to his brother, who had a smirk on his face with his arms crossed behind his head.

I scowled at him as soon as my eyes landed on the black object atop his head, and then I lunged myself across the table. "Dammit, Elric! Give me back my hat!"

"No way!" he answered, placing his gloved hands on my shoulders and pushing me back into my seat. "It looks better on me."

"I swear I'm going to kill you if you don't give me my hat back right now!" I hissed through my teeth while jabbing a finger in his face.

"Nope," he answered, seating himself. "I think I'll wear it around the train station for a while, maybe even around town."

I glared daggers at the blonde, who continued to smirk as he adjusted the black, military cap on his head. I'll confess that the main reason why I was so irritable was because it was early, and I did_not_ enjoy waking up early in the morning, especially if I had the King of Cricks in my spine from sleeping in that lounging position on a stiff, wooden booth for God-knows how long.

"Give. Me. My. Hat. _Now_." I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him.

"What's the magic word?" the blonde chimed.

"Give me my hat back, so I don't have to waste all my energy kicking your sorry ass!" I snapped, standing up, leaning over the table with my hands placed on top.

Edward smirked and tisked, wagging his finger. "Wrong magic words, Dani."

Rolling my eyes, I sighed. He acted like such a child sometimes. "_Please _give me my hat back..."

"Now say: boys are better than girls at anything and everything, especially those boys who can perform alchemy without transmu-"

"DAMN IT, ELRIC! I SAID FRICKIN' 'PLEASE'!"

"All right, all right... Sheesh, don't get your pants up in a knot..."

With that, Edward took off my hat and placed it on the table. Without hesitation, I snatched it up and adjusted it on top of my head; then, took my seat. Seriously, the short alchemist was such a nuisance sometimes. Choosing to ignore him for now, I gazed out the window as the train pulled into the station before coming to a full and complete stop. Once we were set, Edward, Al and I stood up from our places and followed the crowd of passengers onto the platform in the station.

I gazed around the station, which filled with the chattering murmur of pedestrians boarding the next train or conversing with one another. The conductor's voice echoed through the station, signaling the last call for the next train, which soon led to a huge crowd swarming in that direction. That was when I noticed that I was by myself. Edward and Alphonse had disappeared into the sea of the crowd. Of course, it was easy to spot Al's helmet with the sun gleaming off the gunmetal-colored iron, and the thin, long ribbon draping from the top.

Without hesitation, I made a beeline through the crowd towards the two boys. Occasionally, I would bump into a few people along the way, but I ignored their remarks of "Such a rude boy" or, "Probably lost his parents". All right, I'll admit that my short, cropped hair and underdeveloped bust mislead people to think that I was a boy; but ever since I joined the military, I grew used to it. Continuing my way towards the two boys, my anger boiled to its peak the closer I drew near them. Edward was going to pay for ditching me like that!

As soon as I caught up to the two of them, I slowed down my pace so that I was in sync with theirs. Leaning over somewhat, I panted from exhaustion. "Wha... what the hell was that for, Elric?"

Edward only smirked. "Hey, it's not my fault that you got sidetracked and couldn't keep up."

I glared at him from the corner of my eye, and then I extended my arm out, shoving him to the side. "Shut up."

The Fullmetal Alchemist only chuckled. "Take it easy, Circles. At least you were fast enough to get over here."

My eyebrow twitched at his taunting remark. "What did you just call me?"

"Circles," the blonde answered simply. "Suits you, don't it?"

"Do I even want to know how you came up with that name?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"I'm sure you know."

Okay, now he was pushing my buttons again. Geez, I truly despised it when he did that! He treated me like I was a child, when I was only younger than him by a few months! Well, one thing was for sure was that he knew exactly which buttons to press to set me off. Honestly, did he find enjoyment tormenting me like this?

"I've been practicing!" I snapped. "Soon, I'll be able to do alchemy without having to draw any circles!"

"Well, you better keep practicing before you blow something else up," Edward sneered.

Balling my hands into fists, I gritted my teeth as I glared at the blonde alchemist. My breath came out short through my nose as I averted my gaze from Edward and stared at the ground. I ready to smack him so hard that he would have a black eye to compliment his black outfit underneath his scarlet cloak.

"Dani..." Alphonse's childish voice echoed gently.

Releasing a deep breath to calm my temper, as well as resist the urge to strangle the blonde alchemist. It's a good thing Al was there to stop me, he was always there to break up the fights between Edward and me, even if one of us did end up injuring the other, which happened every other time when we fought. It was just a few bruises though; nothing too major or serious.

"So," I began, standing up straight stretching the cricks out of my back, "where are we off to first you guys?"

"Let's explore the town a bit," Al suggested. "Maybe we can pick up information about this priest."

"Sounds like a plan," Edward agreed.

Well, here they go again. Off on another journey to find that Philosophical Stone -or whatever. I remember overhearing that their last two attempts of discovering the stone failed, and the rock was a fake. I wasn't jumping to conclusions. I mean, from what Ed explained, the stone was able to do the impossible when it came to alchemy. If Edward wanted it so badly, why drag his brother into this. I glanced over at the towering armor at the thought. What did Al need the stone for? Shrugging, I ignored the thought and followed the two brothers outside into the town.

**~ . . * . . ~**

"Man... It sure is hot out here..." I groaned, tugging the collar of my shirt to release the heat trapped inside.

"You can say that again..." Edward added.

The three of us had been traveling throughout the city, searching for any info on the priest here. The rumors about his deeds began to run through my mind like a record on a loop, and the more I thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.

"I'm starting to agree with you guys," I spoke. "This whole 'miracle' thing is a load of bullsh-"

I was interrupted by the sound of the blonde alchemist moaning followed by a sudden thud on the ground.

"Brother?" Alphonse inquired.

Stopping in my tracks, I turned around to face the two brothers. I sighed at the sight of Edward sprawled out on the ground on his stomach, while his armored brother knelt down by his side.

"Can't move... another... step..." Edward whined.

I groaned, nudging his head with the tip of my boot. "Get up, you lazy bum. There's a café around the corner. You can make it there, right?"

Edward moaned once more, and then he shoved my foot away and buried his head in his arms.

Seriously? He was just going to lie there on the ground, like a helpless bird with a broken wing? There was no use in talking the blonde alchemist into getting up and walking a few meters down the cobblestone road.

Sighing, I crossed my arms over my chest and turned around. "All right. Have it your way. But, don't expect me to be here to shoo off the buzzards and drag your half eaten carcass away."

And I meant every word of it. I wasn't going to nanny Edward whenever he whined from his aching legs because of walking for who knows how long. Thankfully, the blonde alchemist was able to pull himself up off the ground and continue traveling alongside Al and me until we reached the cafe. As we reached the stand, we caught attention of the café owner, who eyed the three of us skeptically. What? Hadn't he seen three teens, one in a suit of armor, before?

The owner, smiled widely as Edward and I seated ourselves at the stand, with Alphonse leaning against the bar. "Hey, there, young-n's. What could I get for ya?"

"Let's see..." Edward mused, scanning over the menu on the wall behind the scrawny man. "I'll have the steak and some juice."

"I'll just have a glass of water," I spoke.

Then the man faced Alphonse. "What about you big fella'?"

"Oh, um..." the young boy spoke hesitantly. "I'm fine, thank you."

The cafe owner raised an eyebrow in confusion, but then shrugged and walked into the back room to prepare our order. As confused as the man was, I was just as perplexed. Tilting my head to the side, I stared up at the suit of armor in bewilderment.

"You sure you don't want anything, Al?" I inquired.

The boy shook his head. "I'm all right."

"C'mon, you've gotta have something," I pressed on. "Heck, you're probably dying in that hulky metal suit."

I rapped my knuckles on his breastplate to emphasize the fact that he was hauling nothing but a ton of iron armor. Honestly, it was like every time I saw Al, he was wearing that huge suit. Didn't he ever take it off? Well, maybe whenever I wasn't around, he didn't have it on. I'd just have to keep a closer eye on the boy, because I really wanted to know what he looked like inside that oversized tin can.

Both Alphonse and Edward exchanged glances with each other, and stammered to reply. That made me even more curious; but before I could ask, the café owner returned to us, handing us our orders.

Without hesitation, I grabbed the cool, glass of liquid and set the rim to my lips. The icy water streaming down my parched throat was refreshing, and I sighed with relief, setting my glass down on the bar. Of course, the refreshing moment was suddenly interrupted by the irritating sound of Edward wolfing down his food. I glanced over at him and sighed. I understood that he was starving, but did he seriously have to forget his manners?

"Hey, Elric, can you chew any louder?" I asked, sarcastically. "Some people are trying to enjoy their meals."

After that, I turned away from him and took another sip of my water. Suddenly, a loud, slurping noise rang in my ear, and I gave a startled yelp and whirled around to find none other than the blonde alchemist in my face. He had that stupid smirk on his face while he held his glass of juice, the straw still in his mouth. I could already feel the heat of my irritation overpower the heat of the temperature surrounding us.

Slamming my free hand on the counter top, I leaned towards Edward until the two of us were nose to nose. "Dammit, Elric! Quit acting like such a child!"

Edward scoffed. "Like you have room to talk."

"Zip it shortie," I growled.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLIN' SO SMALL HE COULD-"

But, the café owner cut him off. "Hey, could you two pipe down?" Then he turned back to adjusting the dials on the radio that lay on top of the flat awning above the stand. "Father Cornello is about to begin his sermon."

Edward and I immediately glanced over at him, and then pulled away from each other, sitting back down on the bar stools. In a matter of moments, the entire town grew silent as a deep male voice echoed through the radio, overlaying even the tiniest conversation.

_"...To all of the Children of God who live on this land, pray in faith, and you will be saved..." _the voice echoed.

_Children of God?_ I repeated in my mind. _What the heck is this old man talking about?_

"So, what are you boys?" the owner spoke, scanning over the three of us skeptically. "Street performers?"

His remark brought me back from my reverie, as well as cause Edward to spew his juice back into the glass. The blonde alchemist scowled in disbelief at the man, and rubbed the remains of juice from the corners of his mouth with his sleeve.

"Do we really look like 'street performers' to you?" the older Elric asked.

"Pretty much," the owner answered simply.

I snickered at Edwards scrounging face, as he tried to hold back the urge to beat the living crap out of the man. "You've got to admit it, Elric. He does have a point."

The blonde alchemist only sighed and hopped down from the bar stool. "Let's go, you guys."

I took the last few sips of water before sliding off the stool to join the Elric brothers. However, as soon as Alphonse stood up, his head collided into the awning above the stand, knocking the innocent radio off of it place. Sadly, none of us were quick enough to catch it before the poor machine shattered into pieces, immediately cutting off the sermon being broadcast. Poor Alphonse had guilt written multiple times all over his armored body, while the owner of the modest stand stared horrified at the remains of the radio.

"Take it easy!" the man exclaimed. "I didn't mean nuthin' by it!"

Edward rubbed the back of his head with his hand. "Sorry about that. We'll fix it."

"How're you going to do _that_?" the man inquired. "It's in a million pieces!"

A cunning smirk crossed the blonde alchemist's face as he turned to the café owner. "Just wait and see, pops."

After given a nod from his brother, Al gathered the pieces of the broken machine into a pile, and then he etched a transmutation circle around it. A few bystanders stopped in front of the cafe and then gathered around the towering suit of armor, gazing in curiosity at Alphonse's circle. It was a no-brainer why these people would be so curious as to wonder what in the world two teens and a hunk of iron were doing with a smashed radio and doodling on the ground.

As soon as the suit of armor was finished, he stood up straight, crossing his hands over each other above the circle. "All right, here goes nothing."

In mere seconds, a blast of air shot out from the circle, kicking up the dirt on the cobblestone walkway, while a bright, blue light outlined the circle and soon enveloped the shape as well as the radio gathered in its core. The bystanders ooh-ed and ahh-ed as the wind and light died down. Once the dust cleared from the circle, the townsfolk, and even the shop owner, stared dumbstruck at the sight before them. Within the center of the circle was a refurbished radio.

I smirked at Al's handiwork; but once I glanced over at his brother, I sighed. Edward was practically puffed up with pride as he extended his arm out, showing the shop owner the flawless radio.

"See?" the blonde alchemist spoke. "Is that fixed enough for you?"

"I can't believe it," the owner breathed. "It's a miracle!" Then, he faced the three of us. "You've been touched by Leto, just like Father Cornello."

Edward and I sighed at the man's ignorance. Geez, were all the people in this town so _gullible_?

"It's not a 'miracle'," explained Al. "It's alchemy."

"So, you three are alchemists, huh?" one of the townsfolk questioned, scanning us over. "I've heard of those."

Edward smiled widely at the remark, and I could've sworn I saw his head swell to twice the size it was originally. "Then, maybe you've heard of us. We're the Elric Brothers."

"_And_ Daniel Russo," I added.

The store owner placed a hand to his chin in thought. "The Elric Brothers and Daniel Russo?"

"Wait a minute," another one of the bystanders spoke. "The Elric Brothers, I think I've heard of you."

"The Fullmetal Alchemist, right?" another inquired.

"Though, I'm not sure I've heard about you, Mr. Russo," the first bystander mused.

I pang of irritation shot through me as I gritted my teeth together in aggravation. Of course... Everyone knew about Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, the strongest State Alchemist in all of Amestris, who can perform alchemy without the aid of a transmutation circle.

"You know… Daniel Russo?" I began again. "The Tremor Alchemist. The new 'Dog' in town

"Nope," the second bystander spoke nonchalantly. "Doesn't ring a bell."

I held back the urge clobber the two men, but my fists remained clenched as I stared down at the ground.

"Well, it's no wonder you've heard of the Fullmetal Alchemist," Edward boasted. "He _is _a young prodigy."

The townsfolk awed at the remark, while the blond alchemist stood there waiting for them to fawn over him. Moments passed, and I raised my head in confusion, wondering where the people had run off to. I could hear the murmur of their many comments about the Fullmetal Alchemist, but they weren't surrounding Ed. I stifled a laugh when my eyes landed on the bystanders flocking around the towering suit of armor.

"No, you misunderstand," Al stammered. "I'm not the Fullmetal Alchemist."

The people stared up at him confused, and then they glanced over at Edward. "Huh? You mean it's the little guy?"

This was just too hilarious! I could see why everyone mistook Al for the Fullmetal Alchemist, since he was in a bulky suit of metal armor. I know _I _mistook the boy for Fullmetal at first. But, the look on Edward's face was just priceless. Actually, what he did next was even more hilarious.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING A PEA-SIZED RUNT? YOU BETTER COME OVER HERE AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE! I DARE YOU!" he ranted on and on, scaring off the townsfolk while saucers, plates, and any other object nearby was hurling around in the air.

"Guess I'm not the only one who's gotten it wrong so far," I sneered at the panting blonde.

"SHUT UP!" he snapped.

"Easy, Bother," Al spoke.

As soon as Edward cooled himself down, he turned to the radio on the ground as the sermon continued its broadcast. The poor café owner, as well as a few of the townsfolk sat on the ground, staring up at Elric. Fear was etched all over their faces, worried that Edward would soon enter another rage.

"So, who's the guy on the radio?" the blonde alchemist inquired.

"Th-That's our priest, Father Cornello," the café owner answered.

_Father Cornello, huh?_ I repeated in my mind. Then, I glanced over at the two brothers, who only stared down at the cowering folk. So, this Cornello guy was the renowned priest the rumors were talking about.

"So, what's the story behind _him_?" I asked.

"The people of Lior were lost, until he came," one of the towns fold explained. "Then, he began to teach us the ways of the Sun god, Leto."

"He grants eternal life to the souls of the faithful," another spoke up.

"He can even resurrect the dead," a third added. "His miracles are proof of what he says is true."

Edward eyed the man in disbelief. "So, this guy says that he can bring the dead back to life? I'll believe it when I see it."

"Father Cornello is holding a miracle gathering at the chapel," the shop owner spoke.

The blonde nodded, and then turned to Al and me. "C'mon, guys, we're going to check this out."

After that, he turned and strode down the cobblestone pathway, while Al and I followed close behind him.

**~ . . * . . ~**

The air was alive with rose petals fluttering down from the belfry and into the midst of the courtyard, which was filled with hundreds of folk. At the entrance stood a large statue of what I presumed was their 'god', and then a tall, but stout, man in his late fifties or so stood in front of the chapel, dressed in a black robe and silk white vestments. He grinned cunningly at the crowd, raising a hand in greeting, earning him an echoing cheer throughout the courtyard.

Edward, Al, and I stood at the back of the crowd, watching in disbelief at this so-called 'miracle priest'. The blonde alchemist had hauled over a wooden crate to stand on in order to see over everyone else in front of us. From where I stood, I could see bits of the figure of the priest through the gaps in between the towns folk; of course, they would sometimes shift their bodies, closing off those gaps, but I quickly moved to a better suited spot with a perfect angle.

It was difficult to determine what was going on, but soon, a flash of red light spread through the courtyard, causing me to shield my eyes. As soon as the light faded, I raised my head to find carved, flowers made out of gemstone adorning the statue behind the priest. The crowd cheered as the High Priest smiled, basking in the on-going praise of the townsfolk.

"So, these are the miracles they were talking about?" Edward inquired. "What do you think, Al?"

"It's obvious he's using alchemy," the younger Elric answered. "There's no doubt about it."

"If that's the case," I spoke, "this guy's definitely ignoring the number one Law of Equivalent Exchange."

Edward nodded in agreement. "He should've only been able to transmute that object into something with equal mass; however, he's changing organic matter into inorganic matter."

"He shouldn't be able to do _that_," Al remarked. "Unless..."

He trailed off, but I already knew what he was going to say. It's been the same thing these two have been talking about ever since the trip over here. I glanced up at the blond alchemist, who only smirked as his golden eyes lit up with determination.

"That's it," he spoke. "We've got it now."

With that, Edward hopped off the crate and began walking down the road along with the dispersing crowd. I glanced over my shoulder at the gaudy cathedral, and then I sighed. Once again, Edward was determined to get that stone. He's failed who knows how many times already. Nevertheless, I turned back around to catch up with the retreating Elric brothers.

"Second time today you've gotten distracted," Edward teased, as soon as I reached them. "That's a record."

I glared at him, but I couldn't think of a comeback at the moment.

"So, Brother," Al began. "Do you think it's really the stone?"

"I don't think, I _know_ it is," the blonde replied. "That ring on his hand amplified his alchemy. It has to be the Philosopher's Stone."

"So, what are you going to do with it once you get it, Elric?" I growled. "Raise the bar high enough until you're certain that I can't pass you."

Edward glanced down at the ground as his brow creased in full determination. If I didn't know any better, I could've sworn I saw a flicker of fire ignite in his golden eyes. "It's personal business, Russo."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at him. "So, I'm right, then? You just want the stone to boost your alchemy and that already gigantic ego of yours, just so you can keep me from passing you."

"Puh-lease," the blonde answered, standing up straight and crossing his arms as well. "Like you couldn't get any better with _your_ alchemy, Circles. You're pretty much handicapped."

"_HANDICAPPED?_" I repeated. "Don't be so full of yourself, Elric! I'll be able to perform alchemy without circles soon."

Edward scoffed. "By that time, Al and I will already have the Stone."

Gritting my teeth together, I clenched my hands together, forming a tight fist, so that that my knuckles were completely white. Edward thought he was so high and mighty, huh? Well, I'll show him. I'll show him that I'm more than one of the only female State Alchemists, who went through a lot just to become a dog of the military.

"Dani," Al spoke gently.

The boy probably noticed my rising temper and decided to calm me down before I pounced on Edward and ripped him to shreds. The three of us had stopped by the side of the road. Setting my arms down by my side, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, and then glanced up at the blonde alchemist.

"I'm sure that by the end of the day I can do alchemy without any help of a circle," I mumbled.

Edward raised an eyebrow. "You sure?" Then he smirked. "It's more complex than you think. I doubt you'd be able to learn just the basic concepts by the end of the day."

"I can so!" I retorted.

"Wanna bet?" the blonde inquired.

I scowled at him, but I was also skeptical of whether I could practice enough during the day to perfect my alchemy until I could do it without having to pull out my spare chalk and etch a transmutation circle. Glancing down at the ground, I began to ponder if it was such a good idea. Well, I didn't study alchemy for hours in the middle of the night in the cellar of my home for nothing.

Raising my head up again, I faced the smirking blonde. "I'll see the bet. I have no interest in going after that Russell Stone anyway. So, while you guys investigate it, I'll go out and practice. At the end of the day, we'll meet back in the town square."

"All right," Edward answered. "Winner gets to relax for a day and 5 cens, while the loser has to fill out all the paperwork."

I pursed my lips together. Five cens was a lot of cash, but I was willing to risk anything to put that blonde in his place. "Deal," I replied, holding out my hand.

The blonde alchemist smiled and placed his right hand in mine as we shook on the deal. However, I cringed as Edward's bizarrely cold touch grabbed my hand like a python constricting its prey. As soon as he released me, I drew back my hand and shook it, to ease the throbbing pain.

"Geez, Elric, what the hell?" I snapped. "Do you have a hand made out of iron or something?" Edward began to answer, but I held up my hand to silence him. "Never mind. You guys go off and find that rock of yours, while I head out to find a secluded area."

The two brothers nodded, and then the two of us turned in opposite directions and traveled down the cobblestone road. I shoved my hands into my pockets and glanced up at the clear afternoon sky, and then I sighed and made my way through the hustle and bustle of the busy town, and stepped out into the fields in the outskirts of the town. As I searched around for a spot to practice, I began to wonder if making the deal with Edward was such a good idea. Heck, I wasn't sure for myself that I could perfect my alchemy in one day.

Releasing the thought from my mind, I walked around the shore of a lake, and soon I spotted a patch of withering pansies. I grinned, knowing that I'd have to take the practice step by step; and then I knelt down by the shriveled flowers. Closing my eyes, I relaxed every muscle in my body and cleared my mind. I placed my hands together, mimicking Edward, and then I gently touched the stems. Moments passed, but I felt nothing but the warm gentle wind caressing my skin. I opened my eyes, and, to my disappointment, the pansies remained limp.

_Maybe I wasn't focusing enough energy..._ I mused, as I tightened my muscles and placed my hands together once more.

Then, I slammed my hands down by their roots and waited for the usual alchemic blast of energy. Nothing. I sighed as I ran a hand through my short, black hair; then, using my free hand, I traced a circle in the dirt around the flower, adding a few other shapes. After placing my hand on the soft soil, I focused on the flowers, exchanging the water molecules and nutrients in the soil with the needy flowers. Instantly, the pansies sprung to life again, with their colors brighter than ever.

_"At least __**I **__don't have to use transmutation circles..."_ Edward's voice echoed through my mind. _"...You're pretty much handicapped..."_

Maybe he was right. When I became a State Alchemist, I had no problem with the fact that had to draw circles in order to transmute something; of course, then I heard the rumors of a young State Alchemist who could perform alchemy without a transmutation circle. I was a bit skeptical at first; in fact, I didn't think that it was possible. Out of all the alchemy book I read, i never heard of performing transmutation without the aid of a circle. Of course, then along came Edward...

**...**

_**One month earlier...**_

**...**

I sat at the wooden table in the cafeteria at headquarters, poking at whatever it was they were serving with my fork. If you asked me, it didn't look like food at all; hell, I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be meat or some new form of gelatin. Well, I had to eat something, or else I'd be up all night with a growling stomach. Sighing, I chopped a piece of it and popped it in my mouth. I quickly regretted my decision as I slowly, and disdainfully, chewed the tender piece of whatever it was, before swallowing it. Without hesitation, I snatched up the milk bottle and gulped down as much of it as I can. I had to get rid of that awful aftertaste!

Once that was said and done, I glanced around at the other soldiers, who sat at their tables munching on their lunches. Glancing back down at the inedible so-called food, I poked it a few more times, just to make sure nothing decided to crawl out of it. Okay, maybe I was just a little paranoid. I mean, almost a year ago I became part of the military; but just last month, I became a State Alchemist. One would think that by now I'd be used to the culinary work of the food served here. I was, but it was always one of the few things here that I dreaded.

Well, I've been through this enough already. With that in mind, I chopped off another piece of the 'food', and slid it into my mouth, awaiting that all-too familiar taste. Of course, after the fourth or fifth bite, I gave up on even trying to finish my entire meal without puking all over the table. Sipping the last bit of milk from the bottle, I picked up the metal tray and stood up from the table.

Of course, as soon as I turned around, I bumped into someone else, which set the both of us off balance for a minute. The contents on his tray splashed out, staining the lower half of my clean, white t-shirt.

"Oops, sorry about that," the man spoke from in front of me.

I glanced over at him, only to find that it wasn't one of the soldiers, but a young boy around my height. He had golden-blonde hair tied in a braid, falling to his shoulders, while his bangs were parted in the center, framing his fair-skinned face; however, a single strand of hair stuck up from the parting, like some sort of antennae. His golden eyes were deep with intelligence, and there seemed to be some small spark within them. The boy wore a scarlet, red cloak with the tail of it reaching down just above his ankles. Underneath his coat was a black shirt, covered by a black jacket with silver lining on the edges, and a pair of matching trousers. Along with his outfit were a pair of leather boots with thick, red soles, and he also wore a pair of white gloves.

I gave the boy a reassuring smile. "Hey, it's no problem. Accidents happen."

"Say, I've never seen you around HQ before," the blonde spoke.

"Oh, yeah, well... I've been a part of the military for a while..."

"I'm sure we'll be seeing each other every so often then." Then, he smiled and held out his hand. "The name's Edward Elric, by the way."

I smiled back and placed my hand in his. "Daniel Russo." I made sure to be careful not to pronounce the 'elle' at the end of my name. "Dani for short."

"Nice to meet ya," Edward spoke. "Now, I'd better be on my way. I've got a meeting with Mustang. Catch you later, Dani."

With that, he walked around me, and made his way to the nearest trash bin to scrape the remains of his lunch from his plate. From what I could see, he wasn't particularly fond of what was on today's menu either. Well, at least I wasn't the only young adult within the walls of headquarters. How old was Edward anyway? Shrugging the thought off, I walked over to the trash can and scraped the chunks of the 'food' from the plate, and then set the tray on the counter with the others.

I glanced down at my shirt with the assortments of chunks of food. Grabbing a napkin, I rubbed it on the stains to clear off as much as I could, but no matter how hard I tried, there were long, streaks of smeared food. Sighing in defeat, I tossed the napkin into the trash, and zipped my jacket so that I wouldn't be looked down upon in disgust as an untidy soldier. Then, I made my way out of the cafeteria and down the hall to my dormitory.

"Russo," a female voice called out.

Stopping in my tracks, I turned around to find a young woman in her mid-twenties, with a slender, yet muscular build, dressed in a blue military uniform. She had broad shoulders, probably from strenuous military training, but also flared hips. Her blonde hair was fastened up at the back of her head, and held by a barrette, while her wing-shaped bang fell over the left of her copper-brown eyes. On each ear was a silver studded piercing.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye," I address, saluting as she walked over to me.

"At ease, Russo," she spoke calmly, stopping in front of me. "I was sent by Colonel Mustang to escort you to his office. He wishes to speak with you."

I stared up at her confused, but then realization struck me. Yesterday, Mustang said that because I wasn't quite ready for field battles or war yet, I would be partnered up with someone, and aid them in their missions. The sidekick roles were never my cup of tea, but I did need to get out of headquarters, instead of being cooped up in the little room, helping out Havoc and Fury with the paperwork.

As much as I wanted to head back to my dorm and change into a clean T-shirt, I knew that when the Colonel wanted to see someone, he didn't like to be left waiting. Without hesitation, I allowed the lieutenant to lead me down the hallway and to his office. She knocked on the door; and as soon as Mustang's voice gave her permission to enter, she twisted the brass door knob and pushed the door open.

I glanced across the room at the black haired man sitting behind his desk, engaged in a handful of paperwork. As my eyes trailed around the room, I soon caught sight of a boy in a red cloak. Edward? Then I realized that he said that he had a meeting with Mustang. So, was I interrupting their meeting? That couldn't be right, because Mustang sent Riza to take me to his office.

That was when I noticed someone standing beside the blonde boy. I had to blink a few times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. It was a tall man in a gunmetal-colored suit of armor, completely dwarfing Edward. The helmet was adorned with a cone-shaped horn in the center of the forehead, and horizontal vents beneath the semi-circle eye holes. From atop the helmet was a long, thin white ribbon of hair that ended in the mid-back of the suit. The trunk of the body owned a protruding, triangular shelf on the breastplate, just beneath the throat guard, while a high, metal collar surrounded the sides and neck of the helmet. There was a breach cloth that covered the lower part of the armor, and a red insignia was painted on the left shoulder. Both of the shoulders sported three cone-shaped spikes, and the elbows, knees, and feet also held the spiked protrusions.

"Ah, Tremor," the colonel spoke, breaking through my thoughts. "You're here just in time."

"You wanted to see me, sir?" I inquired, stepping into the room.

The colonel nodded, and then he dismissed Hawkeye, who nodded and closed the door, leaving me alone in the room of three boys. "As you may know, Tremor," Mustang began, walking around his desk. "Because you're one of the youngest State Alchemists the Fuhrer would allow into the military, you've been assigned to aid one of the most skillful State Alchemists." The colonel stopped in front of me, and grinned. "Daniel Russo, I would like you to meet the Fullmetal Alchemist."

With that, he extended his arm outwards, gesturing to the two boys. I gasped in shock as I stared at them. No way. I thought for sure that I was going to be partnered with Armstrong, or one of the alchemists here, but I didn't expect to be partnered with none other than the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"Seriously?" I asked, facing Mustang.

He nodded.

"Wow..." I breathed, turning my attention back to Edward and the man in armor. Then, I walked over to them. "This is a huge honor. I've heard all the stories about the Fullmetal Alchemist, but never would've guessed I'd meet him in person."

Edward smirked cockily. "Yeah, the Fullmetal Alchemist is pretty renowned after all."

"So I've heard," I replied. Then, I walked up to the suit of armor. "I guess you really live up to that title of yours. You're covered in metal from head to toe" I rapped my knuckles on his breastplate to emphasize my point.

The towering man in the suit of armor held up his leather gloved hands in defense as he stammered to answer. "No, no," a child-like voice echoed from within the armor. "I'm not the Fullmetal Alchemist."

Gazing up at him, I blinked in confusion. For someone as gigantic as him, especially in a bulky suit of armor, he had a childish voice; unless... the actually was a child on the inside. Then, his reply ran through my mind, as I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

_If __**he's**__ not the Fullmetal Alchemist,_ I thought,_ then, that means..._

I glanced over at the blonde who stood in his place, only his fists were clenched as his body tensed up and began to tremble slightly.

"Wait, _you're_ the Fullmetal Alchemist?" I asked, pointing at him.

"What was your first clue?" Edward answered through gritted teeth.

You have got to be kidding me. This blonde midget in the coat was the renowned Fullmetal Alchemist? He was a pipsqueak! From the rumors I overheard, I imagined him to be some tall, bulky guy who could bend an iron bar with his bare hands, not some scrawny, blonde toothpick. I placed my hand over my mouth to hold back my laughter; but sadly, it managed its way out, echoing through the office.

"WHAT'S SO FUNNY?" Edward snapped.

"N-nothing," I answered, clutching my abdomen with my arm. "It's just... you're far from what I imagined you to be... I mean, come on! I never... never would've imagined a half-pint... to be the amazing Fullmetal Alchemist. This is just too much!"

I regret saying that to him; because the very next moment, I was laying on my back with Edward on top of me. His legs straddled my waist, while his hands were tightly grasped around my throat. My face felt like it was being pricked with a thousand pins and needles as I choked for air, grasping the Fullmetal Alchemist's taut wrists with my hands.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULD FIT THROUGH THE GAP IN A SNOWFLAKE?" the blonde screamed. "I DARE YA TO SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME!"

"Brother! Stop!" the armored boy screeched.

Wiith that, he grasped Edward around the abdomen and pulled him off of me. I sat up gasping for air, and tenderly rubbed my now aching neck. Then, I glared up at the blonde, who was squirming in the hands of the suit of armor.

"What the hell was that for?" I hollered. "You nearly killed me!"

"Sorry about that," the suit of armor spoke. "My brother has... height issues..."

"OH HELL YEAH, LIKE YOU'RE THE ONE TO TALK, AL!" the blonde retorted, glancing over his shoulder at his brother.

Suddenly, Mustang cleared his throat to bring the three of us back into the point of this meeting. "Now that you've all become acquainted with each other, I expect you three to be up at 0800 tomorrow morning. Meet back here in my office, and we'll discuss your next mission. Dismissed."

After that, I stood up and dusted myself off, and the three of us saluted the colonel. After he saluted back, I strode out of the office, resisting the urge to slam the door. I released a deep breath once I was in the hallway, and then I ran a hand through my short, cropped hair. I couldn't believe it! Not only were the rumors of the young prodigy true, but he was also an egotistical short fuse! When I first learned about the Fullmetal Alchemist, I considered him a role model; but now that I saw who he really was, I would stop at nothing to become as great an alchemist as him just to put him in his place and wash away that ego of his for good!

Shoving my hands in my pockets, I strode down the empty hallways towards my dorm room. Once there, I opened the door, and slid off my leather jacket, setting it on the edge of my desk chair. Taking another good look at my stained, white T-shirt, I sighed. Striding over to the bureau, I pulled out a white tank-top and set it on the bed.

Well, this day couldn't possibly get any worse.

My mind wandered back to my meeting with the Fullmetal Alchemist. Well, we actually first met after I bumped into him in the mess hall, but, during that time, I never would've guessed that _he_ was the Fullmetal Alchemist. Honestly, his brother looked to be more metal than he was. Wait, those two were brothers? I wondered which one of them was the younger one, but then I shrugged at the thought. Probably Edward. As pissed off as I was with him, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down before I could take a step to raid the dorm, and then I began to slip off my white T-shirt.

"Hey, Daniel?" a young, male voice echoed from outside the door. "It's me, Edward. Look..." the knob turned and the door squeaked upon opening, "Al's kinda making me apologize, so I'm just gonna get this over wi..."

He trailed off from there, but silence filled the air between us. My back was already facing the door, so I had to turn around to face him. Of course, as soon as our eyes locked on to each other's I noticed that Edward had a shocked, and slightly surprised expression on his face as his widened, golden eyes slowly scanned me from head to toe. I blinked in confusion, and then I glanced down at myself. Suddenly, my face began to heat up when I realized that I was wearing nothing but my baggy pants and my sports bra.

Clutching my shirt to my chest, I grabbed the pillow off the bed. "Dammit, Elric! Get outta here!"

With that, I hurled the pillow towards the blonde, who held up his arms to block the impact, and then he quickly whirled around on his heel, darting out into the hallway and pulling the door closed behind him. As soon as I knew he was gone, I sighed. Hasn't he ever heard of knocking?

I take back what I said. Today just got worse.

By the way Edward was scanning me over, I could tell that he was trying to comprehend the fact that I was secretly a female. I'd just have to 'convince' him not to spill the beans to everyone else in Central, or else I'd lose my State Alchemy certification for good. With that thought in mind, I slipped my tank top on, and then grabbed my jacket, feeding my arms through the leather sleeves. Then, I whirled around and walked towards the door, ready to find Edward and beat the living snot out of him!

It didn't take me long to find him though. As soon as I closed the door, I glanced up to find him standing across the hall. He raised an eyebrow in confusion as he tilted his head to the side.

"So..." he began. "You're a g-"

Before he could finish, I raced over to him and clamped my hand over his mouth. "Let's get one thing straight, Fullmetal," I hissed, narrowing my eyes. "I didn't become a State Alchemist for nothing. I've sacrificed and risked a lot to obtain my certification; more than you can imagine. Yeah, I'll admit that I carry around a stick of chalk whenever I need it, but-"

"Wait, wait," Edward spoke, taking my hand off his mouth. The corner of his lips curled into a smirk as he stifled a laugh. "You're a State Alchemist, but you _draw_ your transmutation circles." He snorted a laugh. "You don't even have special arrays on your gloves or hands?"

"Hey! I'm still practicing, all right! Just because you can do alchemy without a circle doesn't make you Mr. Awesome."

"Still, on the skill rank when using alchemy, drawing circles is the lowest!"

"Since when has there ever been a skill rank in alchemy? You just made that up!"

"Well, you have a long ways to go before you come even close to matching me, Daniel. If that _is_ your real name."

"It's actually Dani_elle._ And your ego is the size of a mountain, you know that?"

"Get used to it, because starting tomorrow, we're stuck with each other."

With that, he turned and walked down the hallway. I glared at his figure as it shrank away the further he traveled until he disappeared around a corner. Well, if I was going to be stuck with him, I guess that meant that he wasn't going to blab my secret around headquarters. This was it though. This marks the day that the Fullmetal Alchemist is no longer my role model. He was nothing but my rival, and I would do whatever it took to show him that I was more than just some young girl with boy-ish looks, who still has to use transmutation circles. Releasing a deep breath, I turned and walked in the opposite direction.

**...**

The vivid orange and yellow glazed sky blanked over the town of Lior. I remained in my former place on the outskirts of town, gazing out at the lake. I tried everything! Creating wood carvings from logs. forming a lance from a tree branch... hell, I couldn't even revive a patch of flowers without using a transmutation circle! I growled as I gripped the grass in my hands, yanking them out of the ground.

Edward was going to win this bet and rub it in my face all the way back to Central. Not if I had anything to say about it. I was going to do whatever it took to win this bet against the blonde alchemist. With that thought, I glanced up at the evening sky. I didn't have much time, though... Then, I gazed around for something simple and easy to transmute, but I came to no avail.

"Dammit!" I hissed, slamming my hands on the ground. "Why does this have to be so difficult?"

Then, I slammed my hands down on the ground, kicking up some clouds of dirt. However, I stared down at my hands for a few moments, and the gears in my mind began to turn as I allowed a small smirk to creep on my face. Slipping my gloves off, I set them down on the ground and used my finger to etch a transmutation circle around them. If my calculations were correct, the iron in the nutrients of the soil could craft slabs of metal onto the topsides of my gloves, exchanging the metal buckles for the iron. It was worth a shot.

Setting my bare hands on the edge of the circle, I concentrated on the matter I would use to exchange from the soil to the fingerless gloves. A flash of blue light emanated from the circle; and as soon as the cloud of dust disappeared, there laid my black gloves a thin plate of metal strapped on top. I smiled at my handiwork, and then I pulled out my pocket knife and picked up one of my gloves. As carefully as I could, I etched a transmutation circle on the metal plate, and made sure to replicate it on the other glove.

All of the other State Alchemists had their transmutation circles etched on their gloves, or whatever accessory they had, like Mustang or Armstrong. So, it wasn't necessarily cheating, since I wouldn't have to stoop down and draw a circle on the ground. The metal in the soles should be able to attract the earth's magnetic energy and create fault, quakes, or just pillars or spikes of earth to spring up from the ground.

Deciding to give it a try, I pocketed my knife and then slipped on my gloves. Standing up, I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and clear my mind. Then I focused my thoughts on the molecules in the metal and the magnetic field deep within the earth. Then, I slammed my hand down on the ground, earning a small quake and a crack in the ground. I smiled to myself, and then I pumped my fists in the air.

Not wanting to waste another moment, I whirled around and darted off towards Lior to meet up with the Elric brothers. I could only imagine the look on Edward's face when he saw my moves. He'd probably flip out and whine about completing all of that paperwork. Well, it served him right for all those times he boasted about his skills in alchemy and rubbing it in my face.

As soon as I reached the town square, I caught sight of the two brothers. "Hey, guys!"

Alphonse glanced over at me as I caught up to them, while Edward only crossed his arms over his chest and glanced away. I leaned over, placing my hands on my knees, panting from the long run back into town.

"Hey, Dani," Alphonse spoke. "How was practice?"

"Pretty good," I spoke, with a smirk. "Check this out."

With that I clapped my hands together, imitating Edward, and then I placed them on the cobblestone ground. As soon as my hands came in contact with the ground, a pillar of rock shot up. I stood triumphantly at my work, and then I turned to face the boys.

"Wow, Dani!" Al remarked. "That's amazing!"

"Now that I've figured it all out," I spoke, placing my hands on the ground once more, transmuting the rubble back to normal, "I've just got to throw in my own moves so that it doesn't look too cheesy."

"Yeah, yeah... that's great," he grumbled, unimpressed. "Can we go now?"

"Why?" I asked with a smirk. "The faster we get to East City the faster you can get started on all that paperwork?"

The blonde alchemist only groaned and walked down the cobblestone pathway towards the train station. Al and I stared at his shrinking figure, and then I turned to the towering boy in the suit of armor.

"What? Did he get called 'short' for the umpteenth time in a row?" I asked.

"The stone was a fake," Alphonse answered simply.

"Oh," I spoke, half-sympathetically. "Well, there's always next time, right?"

"Hey, are you two coming or not?" Edward's voice called out from down the road.

"Coming, Brother!" Al answered.

With that, he raced down the pathway, his armor clanking every time he took a step, while I followed close behind him. As soon as we reached the pipsqueak alchemist, the three of us made out way towards the train station and boarded the locomotive right before it was about to leave for Eastern City. As soon as the train pulled out of the station, I lounged back in the wooden booth, relieved from all the stress I endured that afternoon.

"I'm surprised that you're able to perform alchemy without drawing a circle, Dani," Alphonse spoke.

"Hey, like they always say: 'Practice makes Perfect'," I answered casually.

Edward only groaned as he rested his arm on the window sill and gazed out at the passing scenery. Either he was upset about that Philosopher's Stone being a fake or he was upset because he lost the bet. By my assumption it was probably both.

"Well, Elric," I spoke, crossing my arms and laying them on the table between us, "it just goes to show you: Pride comes before a fall."

Silence fell between the three of us, but I only continued to smirk to myself. It felt good to be dominant over Edward for once. Now, he was put in his place.

"I guess you're right about that, Dani," the blonde spoke, breaking through my thoughts. "But, I do have one question."

"Yeah?" I answered.

Suddenly, Edward grabbed my hand, holding it up; and then, he leaned over the table gesturing to the etching on the topside of my glove. My face paled as his smirk grew wider, and I knew that I was in one tough pickle now.

"Isn't _this_ a transmutation circle?" he asked.

"Uh... no..." I answered. "It's... it's probably just a scratch."

"Oh, hell yeah," Edward scoffed. "Like a scratch could make something as detailed as _this_."

"So, what if it's a transmutation circle?" I retorted, slouching back in the seat. "The deal was that if I could use alchemy without drawing a transmutation circle, the loser would have to do all the paperwork."

"Actually, Russo," Edward began. "You're exact words were," he cleared his throat, and then began again in a higher, and more annoying tone. "'I'm sure that by the end of the day I can do alchemy without any help of a circle'."

"So what? It's the same thing!" I snapped. "And I do NOT sound like that!"

"It's two completely different things, Circles." Then, he crossed his leg over his knee, folding his arms across his chest. "Looks like I win."

Growling, I glowered at him. Mark my words: one of these days, I was going to be able to use alchemy without drawing a circle or forging one into my shoes or gloves.

* * *

**Well, there you have it you guys! Oh, and sorry about that ending... I wasn't really sure what to put there for the bet...**

**Oh, Just so you all know...**

**~ . . * . . ~ = Scene Change/Time lapse**

**... = Flashback**

**Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!**

**Rate and Review!**

**Oh, and if you guys like Ouran High School Host Club, check out my other fic, "Fitting In"**


	3. Mournful Sufferings

**Whaddup Peoples?**

**UPDATE NOTE: I went back through the last chapter and edited a couple of things to make the story more comprehensible and flow easier.**

**Anyway, so concerning the previous chapter, you guys have already figured out that I'm following along with the anime series a little. BUT DON'T BE SO EASILY FOOLED! HaHa! I'm not going to copy everything from the anime as it was **_**exactly**_** I'll throw in my own made-up chapters here and there.**

**So, anyway...**

**I'd like to thank the following people for reviewing my previous chapter: AwestruckingAmy123, BravoMonAmi, and Shan-Shan XP, Foreverflame99!**

**That tallies up my total reviews to 12! Aaaaand I now have over 300 hits and counting. JUST FROM THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS! Thank you so much you guys! Spread the word to your friends if you can! I know I don't have that many chapters up now, but I promise that there will be more! :D**

**Anywayz, enough of my rambling... Let's get on with the story, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, or its characters. Sadly... :'( BUT! I DO OWN my OC!**

* * *

**Chapter III: **_**Mournful Sufferings**_

Beads of sweat streamed from my reddened face as I dangled from the iron bar hanging from the ceiling. My arms felt like they would stretch like elastic if I held on any longer. If only it were true, then same thing could happen to my legs. I'd probably be able to run faster than I could now with my stubs for legs. I took a few more deep breaths before grunting as I trudged to pull my body upwards until my chin rested on the bar, before relaxing and letting myself downwards only to repeat the process.

"Eighteen... Nineteen..." I counted, short of breath from the strenuous exercise. "Twenty..."

After that, I released the bar, dropping to the ground, panting from exhaustion. Wiping my arm across my moist forehead, I slid down the wall until I was sitting cross-legged on the floor, and then I ran a hand through my sopping, and most likely scraggly, hair as I gazed around the room. Most of the soldiers would ask me why I never worked out in the gym. Well, one thing was for sure was that the stench of sweat filled the entire room that one could choke. On the other hand, it would raise a few suspicions far a human stick to be surrounded by burly men, and not go into the locker room when she was finished with her workout.

As soon as I caught my breath, I stood up and walked over to the desk, plopping down in my seat. Reclining back in the chair, I grabbed the glass of water and took a sip, relishing the refreshing coolness soaking my dry throat. The workout routine had become a habit of mine after being a part of the military for a week. Since my alchemy teacher was a former drill sergeant, strenuous, fitness workouts had become part of my daily routines.

Suddenly a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

"Door's open," I called out, setting my glass back down on the desk.

Taking that as permission to enter, the knob clicked as it twisted to the side, and then the wooden door was pushed forward, revealing the Elric Brothers. Once again, Alphonse was in his suit of armor. Seriously, did he sleep in that thing? Compared to how dismayed the two of them looked the other day, their spirits seemed slightly aroused. Well, it was easy to read on Edward's face, since Al's head was covered by that iron helmet.

"So, what did the Colonel say?" I asked as the two of them stepped into the room, closing the door behind them.

"Since the Lior case was a huge fail," Fullmetal spoke, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, "the Colonel's offered to introduce us to a specialist in the field of bio-alchemy."

I blinked as I stared at the two of them. This sure was a new change in subject. For the past month I've been with the Elric Brothers, it's been "Stone-this" and, "Stone-that". Heck, I thought for sure that the rock was all those two ever talked or thought about every day. Now, it was about some type of alchemy?

"Wait," I began, "since when did this whole quest go from finding the Sorcerer's Stone-"

"_Philosopher's_ Stone!" Edward corrected, obviously irked for the umpteenth time I've misstated the stone.

"Whatever," I answered, waving him off. "What does bio-alchemy have to do with any of this?"

Silence filled the dorm as the two brothers exchanged glances, as if they were having a telepathic conversation about who was going to answer the question.

"You see, Dani," Alphonse began calmly, facing me. "When Ed and I were in the cathedral confronting Father Cornello, he transmuted a huge chimera right in front of our eyes."

"A chimera, huh?" I repeated, sitting upright in the chair, slightly interested in the story I missed while we were in Lior.

The two brothers nodded, but it was Al who continued: "Anyway, neither of us are too familiar with bio-alchemy to create a chimera, so the Colonel's offered to take us to a specialist."

I mentally sighed with relief. Finally, I'd have a break from hearing about that "Philosopher's stone" from either of them. But... bio-alchemy? I never heard of that kind of alchemy. I glanced out the window in thought. Maybe, just maybe, broadening my understanding of alchemy from the roots to where it branched off through types would benefit me into mastering transmutation.

"Well," I spoke, standing up and stretching my arms. "Let's not keep the Colonel waiting on us."

Both Al and Edward stared at my puzzled as I grabbed my black jacket off the coat hanger along with my matching hat.

"Wait," Edward began, blinking surprised. "You actually _want_ to go?"

"Well, I kind of have to," I answered, feeding my arms through the sleeves. "Besides, I need to get out once in a while."

As I adjusted my hat, I followed the Elric brothers out into the hallway and closed the door behind us. Once we were all set, the three of us made our way through the winding halls of Eastern Headquarters and down the stairs until we reached the front gate. Parked just outside was a sleek black car, with Colonel Mustang standing in front of it. The raven-haired man grinned as we approached him, and gave a salute, which we returned before filing into the vehicle.

As I sat in the seat across from the two brothers, I just had to gaze up at Al confused. Even when we were riding in a vehicle, the boy still wore his armor. I was just surprised that his head didn't tear through the ceiling because of his height. The sound of the vehicle door slamming shut brought me back into reality, and soon the car jerked forward as the engine came alive. Soon, we were rolling down the road and out of the gates.

"So," I began breaking the few minutes of silence. "Who's this specialist we're seeing?"

Mustang pulled out clipboard, flipping through the pages as he read: "Shou Tucker, the Sewing Life Alchemist. He specializes in bio-alchemy. Two years ago, Tucker created a chimera that could comprehend a human's speech. That was what gave him his State Alchemist certification."

I had only read in alchemy books what chimeras were and how they were created. They were supposedly mutated forms of animals with their DNA mixed together. From what I researched, chimeras were a science constructed on dead or false starts. But… a chimera that could understand human language? That sounded just as preposterous as the rumor of the priest crafting flowers out of thin air.

"Comprehend human speech?" I repeated. Then, I faced the two brothers, who seemed just as perplexed as I was.

Edward put a hand to his chin in thought, but then his golden eyes widened as he glanced up at the Colonel in shock. "Wait, you mean it could talk? An actual chimera?"

I'll admit that even I was astounded as I glanced over at the Colonel. Who would've guessed that with the right ingredients, one could transmute a chimera that could speak the human language? The techniques of alchemy were much broader than I thought...

"Right," Mustang answered, glancing up at the three of use. "Apparently, it could; however, it only said one thing: 'I want to die'."

The three of us stared across the seats at the Colonel shocked etched on their faces. Just the thought of some mutated monster wanting nothing more than to quit living made me sick to my stomach. How could anyone say that?

"Soon after," Colonel Mustang continued, "it wouldn't eat anything until it got its wish."

"Man," I mused, slouching back in my seat. "I almost feel sorry for the creature."

Edward and his brother nodded in agreement, but said nothing more. For the remainder of the trip, neither of us uttered a single word, with our only thoughts on Tucker's chimera and learning bio alchemy.

**~ . . * . . ~**

Eventually the military car rolled to a complete stop in front of a grand mansion. I had to do a double take to make sure that we were in the right place. Honestly, I was expecting some run-down shack or just a simple one-storied home, not a humongous estate with the brick walls, the grand windows, and the large, wrought iron gates! Even after the four of us strode out of the vehicle and down the cobblestone pathway to the door, Edward, Al, and I just gazed around stupidly, while the Colonel rang the bell.

"Whoa..." Edward breathed in awe, continuing to let his eyes wander around the estate.

"You can say that again," I added.

Suddenly, there was a muted bark, and shadow blanketed over both the blonde alchemist and I. As my vision adjusted to the object above us, I screeched as I whirled around and dove to the side, barely dodging it. Edward only blinked, and was soon smothered beneath a gigantic Pyrenees, who only thumped his tail excitedly. I sat up and laughed as Ed released a gasp, freeing himself from underneath the massive canine.

"Brother!" Al cried, crouching by his brother's side. "Are you all right?"

Suddenly, the giant wooden door of the house squeaked open, followed by a tiny voice: "Alexander!"

Alphonse, Edward, and I glanced over to find a small girl, who couldn't be much younger than four or so, standing in the doorway. Her chocolate brown hair was pulled back into two braids, which hung down to her mid-back; and her wide, blue eyes were filled with curiosity and joy. She was dressed in a school-like uniform with a red collar shirt, and a pair of blue shorts, with matching shoes.

"Hey, Daddy! There's people outside!" the little girl cried in joy.

Then, a man, who I presumed was her father, walked up behind her. He shared his daughter's bright blue eyes, which were hidden behind a pair of round prescription glasses; however, his short hair was much lighter than the little girl's. The man was sporting a green collar shirt, with a black T-shirt underneath it, while he wore a pair of khaki pants.

"Nina," he spoke calmly to the little girl. "I thought I told you to tie the dog up in the backyard."

The little girl glanced up at her father with a sheepish smile. "Alexander looked like he needed some exercise."

Her father sighed, and while he spoke to the Colonel, I managed, (with the help of Alphonse of course), to pull Edward out from underneath the behemoth-like canine, who sat on the cobblestone pathway and thumped his tail on the ground. The little girl, Nina, rushed over to her pet and hugged him around the neck, nuzzling her little face in his fur. Tucker opened the door wider, allowing the four of us into his home.

While the three boys began to file in, I stood up, brushing the dust off my clothes, and then I reached my hand up to adjust my cap on my head; however, I couldn't feel it up there, even when I patted my head with my hand all I felt was my scraggly black hair. My first instinct was that Edward took it again, but as I glanced over at his figure retreating into the building, I couldn't spy my hat atop that blonde head.

"Is this yours?" a small voice spoke from below me.

Startled by the sudden voice, I glanced down to find the little girl by my side, holding up my black cap in her tiny hands.

"Thanks, kid." I spoke, taking the cap from her and placing it on my head. "I thought I lost it."

"You're welcome," the little girl answered, shuffling her feet timidly.

I could tell that she was most likely shy around me, most likely because I was a 'stranger' to her. All children her age weren't too fond of new people, so there was no wonder why she was so shy around me.

But, I just had to give her a reassuring smile... as best as I could anyway. "My name's Dani. What's yours?"

"Nina," she answered simply.

"That's a nice name."

"Thank you."

Silence filled the air between us, as Alexander, the dog, strode us to us and seated himself beside the little girl. Nina continued to wring her hands behind her back, and gaze around for a minute as if she were waiting for me to say something else.

I glanced around the gigantic courtyard. I wasn't the best conversationalist in the world, and I doubted that every toddler behaved the same.

"You know," I began, keeling down to her level. "You don't have to be so shy, Nina. I'll be visiting your daddy for a while today, but I'm sure we'll become the best of friends."

This grabbed the little girl's attention as she gazed up at me with wide blue eyes. "Really?"

I nodded in reply, earning a wide smile from her. Without warning, the little girl flung her arms around my neck, giggling with happiness. I wasn't sure how, or when, but some warm sensation overcame my body, and, eventually, I smiled, wrapping my arms around Nina's back. She was simply too adorable to shun away, and I couldn't get over the fact of how much she reminded me of myself when I was her age. However, Nina had much more than I ever had during my childhood.

"I used to be just like you, Nina," I whispered. "Don't worry. I'll always be here for you."

"Tremor," the deep voice of the colonel broke through the touchy-feely moment.

Nina and I broke apart slightly and turned our attention towards the black-haired man standing in the doorway with Nina's father.

"Are you coming in?" Mustang continued.

"With all due respect, sir," I called back. "I'm going to stay here with Nina for a while."

Mustang nodded understandingly, and then he saluted me, which I returned. Then, the colonel turned around, walking back into the mansion with the Sewing Life Alchemist, closing the wooden door behind him. As much as I wanted to learn about bio-alchemy from Tucker, I felt that Nina needed me more. I could remember back when I was just her age, cooped up in the house all day with no one but my parents.

"Dani," Nina's voice spoke. "Are you a girl?"

I froze at the question, and turned to her quizzically. How had she figured that out so quickly? Some would be thrown off easily by my short hair, yet Nina was able to see through my disguise. It sure was going to be difficult to lie to her, and I sure didn't want to do that. Then again, she was young, and I wasn't sure about trusting her with my secret. Glancing around, I made sure that no one, especially not the Colonel, was around before facing the little girl.

"Yes," I answered. "But, I'm pretending to be a boy."

Nina tilted her head in puzzlement. "Why?"

"Um, you see, I'm..." I trailed off thinking of an excuse she would take for granted. "I'm... undercover. Top secret."

"Oh." Then, she smiled. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

I smiled down at her, but then she grabbed my hand and pulled me over to a cherry blossom tree, decorated in pink blossoms. The two of us sat down underneath the tree, while Alexander laid down beside Nina, who snapped off a twig of the leaf, bending and twisting it into a circle. Once she as finished, she smiled at her handiwork and place it atop the dog's head.

"Aww, Alexander looks so cute," I commented.

Nina nodded in reply. "Whenever Daddy's working, all I have is Alexander, so we play out in the yard together, or around the house. He's my best friend." Then, she gazed up at me, with a wide smile. "Did you ever have any friends?"

"Oh, well..." I trialed off, gazing out at the vast front yard. "Not really."

The little girl stared up at me surprised. "Did your Daddy work a lot too?"

I nodded in reply. "My Daddy was never home though."

"How long was he gone?"

"A few years."

"Did he ever come back?"

I gazed down at the thought, as images of _that day_ flowed willingly into my mind. At that time I was almost twice as old as Nina was at that time, but still too young and naive to understand the reason why my father would never be returning home. As much as I wanted to cry, I couldn't, not with Nina around. Hell, wouldn't even cry if I was alone! I had to suck it up and show that I was a tough dog of the military.

Blinking away the tears, I forced a smile as I gazed down at Nina. "No, he didn't."

"Oh," she answered. Then, she smiled back up at me. "I hope he comes back home soon."

I chuckled as I patted her head with my hand. Of course, she was too young to understand either, and she was much too young to know. She was still young with her whole life ahead of her. She still had her father, unlike me. All I had was my mother; however, she was busy almost every day, and we barely spent a good hour of social time with each other, even if it was at the dinner table.

"You wanna play something?" Nina inquired.

"Sure," I answered. "What should we play?"

"Hide-and-Seek!" the little girl cheered.

"All right. You go and hide, while I count."

With that, I turned around facing the tree, burying my eyes in my arms as I counted out loud. I smiled as I heard the rustling bushes, and quick footsteps trotting on the cobblestone as Nina raced around the yard to find a hiding spot. Once I was finished, I called out to Nina that I was ready, and then I stood up and turned around, scanning the area. Instantly, I spotted Nina's little blue shoes peeking out from under a bush, but I dismissed it and walked over to a tree.

"Now, where could Nina have run off too?" I spoke out loud, searching in random spots other than the one she was obviously in. "She must be magic if she disappeared so quickly."

That remark earned a giggle from inside the bush, and I smiled as I walked in that direction.

"Nina," I called out. "Come out, come out, wherever you are."

Then, I slowly moved towards the bush, where Nina was hiding, and she responded by shuffling her little feet under the bush, thinking that I wouldn't be able to spot her. As soon as I took another step, however, a shadow fell over my body, and I halted on the spot. Confused, I glanced up, but quickly regretted my decision as I shrieked, hoping to dodge the descending blob of fur. Sadly, I wasn't quick enough, and I was smothered underneath the large canine. Sure didn't see _that_ coming.

"Silly Alexander," Nina giggled, crawling out from her hiding spot. "Dani was supposed to find us, not you find her."

The dog barked in reply as his massive tail thumped the ground wildly. The little girl smiled at her pet as she stroked his thick fur, and laughed as Alexander licked her face.

"You sure are a big boy, aren't you?" I grunted, patting the dog's side.

Alexander faced me, blinking his pitch black eyes in curiosity. Then, he moved his head downward to my level sniffing my hand and my face, which he then proceeded to coat in his thick slobbery saliva. I made a face as the massive tongue swept across my face, but then began to laugh as a tickling sensation began.'

"Is this dog attracted to all alchemists?" a deep voice inquired from above. "Or is it just you and Fullmetal?"

The three of us glanced to find the Colonel with a sly grin on his face as he gazed down at us with his deep black eyes. I could easily detect that he was amused by the way I looked underneath the behemoth mutt. Keep on smiling Mustang, because the more you do, the more I'll hold it against you. Seriously, this was not hilarious... this was painful! In fact, with that thought in mind, I wriggled my body from underneath Alexander, who then, thankfully, stood up and seated himself on the lush grass beside Nina.

I sat across from the two, taking in a lungful of air before glancing back up at the Colonel. "So, I take it that the Elrics are still inside?"

Mustang nodded. "I'm heading out back to Central, but I'll send someone back for you, Al, and Fullmetal this evening."

With that he saluted, and I stood up straight saluting him back. After a while, the Colonel turned around and strode down the walkway to the awaiting black, military car. Nina, Alexander, and I watched as the engine roared and the vehicle rolled down the street, disappearing past the gates. Well, fun and games were over now, much to my dismay. Now, I had to get back to work.

"Thanks for letting me play with you, Nina," I spoke, kneeling down to her level. "But, now I have to go find my partners."

Nina frowned as she gazed up at me with her big sapphire blue eyes. "No, don't go, big sister. Stay here and play with me."

My heart twisted at the words "big sister" and even a lump began to form in my throat. It sure was going to be difficult to abandon her with Alexander, especially since I was probably the only human-friend she's ever had in her entire life. Even though I was sent to this mansion to research and study as much as I could about bio-alchemy, part of me wanted to stay with Nina.

Sighing, I glanced down at her. "I'm sorry, Nina. But, I have to go help my frien- er, partners out." The little girl looked down sadly, but I placed my hand under her chin, lifting it up to face me. As soon as our eyes met, I gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll play some other time, okay?"

The little girl nodded sadly, and then I stood up and walked down the cobble stone pathway into the giant mansion. It pained me to leave the poor girl all by her lonesome with no one to hang out with but her faithful companion. But, work before pleasure, that was for sure.

"Nina sure has taken a strong liking to you," a voice spoke from beside me.

Startled, I whirled around to find Shou Tucker carrying a set of grimy dishes.

"I guess," I answered in reply, gazing around at the state of the interior of the house.

Man, even though the outside of the house was gigantic, and adorned with large windows and a lavish courtyard, the inside... well, it was definitely not what I was expecting that was for sure. There were books lying around the floor along with a few scraps of paper, while dishes covered in filth were piled up to the ceiling! I wouldn't call it clustered, though. I mean, one could still see the floor!

"Sorry about the mess," Tucker spoke. "Things got out of hand after my wife left."

Turning back to the man, I gave him a reassuring smile. "Hey, don't worry about it." Then, his reason ran through my mind again. "Your wife left?"

The man nodded as he organized the dishes on the counter. "Two years ago."

I could tell that the issue was personal to him, so I decided to drop the subject as my gaze began wandering around the grand home.

"So, the Colonel tells me that you're the Tremor Alchemist, correct?" Shou spoke.

"Yes," I answered, turning to him.

"You're definitely not what I imagined when the Colonel first told me about you."

I grimaced at the thought. "I get that a lot."

Tucker only smiled. "I assume that you're looking for your friends, right?"

"Yes, sir."

With that, Tucker walked through the grand foyer and down the long corridors of the mansion, while I followed behind him. I gazed around at the large painting adorning the pastel walls of the home, and the arrangement of tables topped with vases, some filled with an arrangement of flowers. After a while, Tucker came to a halt in front of two, large double-doors. Turning the handle, he pushed the door open, revealing a room with thousands of shelves lining the walls filled with nothing but books, and two adjacent pairs of shelves running horizontally along the floor. From the looks of it, the room was no doubt a library.

"They're somewhere around in here," Tucker explained, scanning the room. Then, he glanced down at me. "I'll let you get to work, then."

"Thank you Mr. Tucker," I spoke.

The man smiled and nodded. Then, he turned around to exit the library. "Call me if you need any assistance."

After the wooden doors shut tight, I wound around the bookshelves, and strode down the aisles searching for either of the Elric Brothers. I eventually passed by the towering suit of armor, who stood by one of the shelves, engaged in a book. Hell, I think his mind was so sucking into the text that he wasn't paying an attention to the outside world. Of course, as soon as I found his older brother, I could say the same for him.

Edward had a pile of books stacked beside him as he sat cross-legged on the wooden floor. Using one hand to hold the book, he placed his free hand on his chin, fixing his golden eyes on the text as he thoroughly examined each page. I sighed as I gazed down at him. I was used to the two brothers zoning out into their own little world as their minds were sucked into the pages of a book.

Glancing up at the grandfather clock, it read a little after noon. Mustang wouldn't send one of his men back for a couple of hours, so I was pretty much stuck in the library, surrounded by books with rotting pages and covered in dust. Well, I came here to learn more about bio-alchemy, so I might as well begin. Striding over to one of the shelves, I ran my finger across the spines of the books, trying to figure out which one I would start with. Pulling out a few of the _Introduction to Bio-Alchemy_ books, I sat myself down in a corner and opened the book up.

**~ . . * . . ~**

Jerking my head up, I glanced around at my surroundings. Walls were lined with shelves of books, and the Elric brothers remained in the positions they were in before. As I looked down at myself, I realized that I was lying on my back on the stiff wooden floor with the book I was reading lying face down on my stomach. Sitting up, I stretched my arms and back relieving my spine of the stiffness. Had I fallen asleep? Picking up the book, I noticed that I was on the fiftieth page or so, so I knew for sure that I had read a good amount before passing out on the ground.

Sighing, I glanced up at the grandfather clock, to check the time. Of course, I had to make a double take to make sure I wasn't hallucination. It was almost five o'clock already? Mustang would be sending someone over in an hour.

Standing up, I walked over to Edward, who remained seated on the ground, surrounded by his small mountain of books. "Hey, Elric, I'm not sure if you'll be able to finish all of those today."

"Mmhm," he hummed in reply.

"Are you thinking about taking them back to Headquarters?" I inquired.

"Mmhm."

I eyed him skeptically. "Can all you say is 'Mmhm'?"

"Mmhm."

Rolling my eyes at him, I glanced over at Alphonse. He was searching through one of the shelves, presumably for another book. Then, a thought crossed my mind as I gazed back down at the blonde alchemist.

"Hey, Elric," I spoke with a smirk. "If Al brought back a lizard with rigor mortis, would you eat it?"

"Mmhm," he answered.

I placed my hand over my mouth to hold back my laughter. Yep, he was in his own little world with his mind focused on only one thing. Hell, Edward probably didn't even know that he was answering my questions! Man, this was just too much fun!

Suddenly, the sound of giggling and clanking against the floor metal echoed through the room, causing Edward to come back to reality. Lowering the book, the blonde alchemist gazed around the library confused.

"What in the world-?" I began.

Apparently, my voice startled Ed because he shrieked, tossing the book in the air and fell backwards onto the floor. Nope, he had absolutely no idea that I had been standing beside him for a while.

"What the...?" he began, sitting up. "Russo! How long have you been standing there?"

"A few minutes," I answered blandly.

He groaned, standing up and rubbing his sore back. I wouldn't blame him if his spine was stiff. He was sitting in that bent over position for almost five hours. The two of us strode down the aisles, following the ruckus in the library as it grew louder the closer we approached. As Edward and I turned a corner, we found Al trotting in place with Nina perched on his shoulders, smiling from ear to ear as she squealed with joy.

"Al!" Edward shouted. His brother stopped and turned to him. "You're supposed to be reading!"

"Um..." Al hesitated to answer. "Nina wanted to play."

I smiled at the two of them, and then I gazed up at the little girl. I wouldn't blame her if she was bored; heck, she looked like she was on the brink of crying when I left the courtyard earlier.

Nina soon caught my gaze, and then she glanced down at my with a wide grin. "Look at me, big sister! I'm taller than you!"

I chuckled at her child-likeness. "You sure are, Nina."

"Al, we didn't come here to play horsey," Edward hissed. "We came here to-"

But he was cut off as a large, dark shadow encased the both of us. Edward and I glanced up to find the giant fur-ball mere inches from landing on us. I should've known Alexander would follow Nina inside, but, sadly, I wasn't quick enough to dodge him. This time, Edward and I were both victims pinned beneath the behemoth mutt. The husky canine wagged its tail happily as it licked the side of Edward's head, messing up his hair.

"Looks like Alexander wants to play too," Nina remarked.

The dog began to wine as if he were saying 'yes' to the little girl's comments. Using my elbows to crawl, I managed, with a little bit of difficulty, to wriggle myself out from underneath the massive canine. As I sat up facing Edward, I noticed a smirk cross his face, as he glanced over at the dog.

"Oh, so you wanna play, huh?" the blonde spoke.

Then, he crawled out from underneath the mutt and stood up. I noticed a menacing expression appear on Edwards face, while that crooked grin never disappeared. All right, I've seen Edward at his worst, but this look was starting to freak me out a little.

"You may have caught me twice, dog," he growled. "But playtime is up." Then, he faced the canine with a fierce, determined gaze. "I'M NOT GOING TO LOSE TO YOU AGAIN! FOR I, EDWARD ELRIC, WILL USE MY POWERS TO DESTROY YOU!"

Instantly after that, Edward began dashing through the library so fast that neither Al, Nina, nor I had the time to blink. I sighed as I stood up, dusting my clothes off. Well, one thing was for sure, when Edward was determined, he wasn't going to lose his focus.

**~ . . * . . ~**

"Hey, Chief," the familiar voice of Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc echoed through the halls. "Your ride's here."

As soon as Tucker led him to the library, he raised an eyebrow in confusion stared down at Edward, who had been pinned flat on his stomach by Alexander. Nina sat beside her dog with her arms wrapped around his neck as she smiled up at her father. I stood beside Al, and shook my head at the sight of the blonde alchemist pinned beneath the giant ball of white fur. Well, he was determined, yet he didn't quite catch the dog.

"What's going on down there, Ed?" Havoc inquired.

"Nothing much," the blonde grunted in reply. "Just... taking a break from a long day of research, that's all."

Edward slithered his way from underneath Alexander, and stood up, brushing the dust off of his clothes.

"I'm sure you must be tired after all that," Tucker spoke. "How about you all come back tomorrow and see if you can find anything useful?"

Nina's face lit up as she stood up excitedly. "You're going to come back?"

"Yep," Al answered. "We'll play some more then."

"Hooray!" the little girl cheered.

"Well, come along you three," Havoc spoke. "We don't want to worry the Colonel."

Al and I nodded, while Edward only grunted; then, Tucker led the four of us back through the maze-like corridors of the massive home until we reached the main entrance. The Sewing Life Alchemist pushed the large wooden doors open, and we stepped out into the fresh, evening air. I gazed up at the orange-painted sky with the giant yellow orb setting behind the tops of the roofs of the houses across the street.

"See you tomorrow, Dani!" Nina called out as we strode down the stone walkway.

I turned around to her and smiled, waving goodbye, then I caught up with Edward and Alphonse as the three of us strode over to the black military vehicle. Havoc stopped to give a report to Tucker about something to do with "Assessment Day", but the three of us ignored him and climbed into the vehicle. Edward released a heavy sigh as he slouched in his seat, while I made myself comfortable across from the two of them. It sure had been a long day indeed, especially since I had to prevent Edward from hurting the poor dog, and nearly trashing the library.

"Hey, Dani," Al's voice spoke.

"Yeah?" I answered wearily.

"You sure seemed... different when we were playing with Nina," the boy in front of me spoke.

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean by _that_?"

"Well, uh..." the suit of armor began. "Most of the time, you're closed off and..."

"Don't forget to mention that she's a-" Edward sneered.

However, I cut him off as I stood up, grabbed the collar of his jacket and yanked him towards my face so that my eyes were locked onto his. "What were you going to say, Elric?"

"That you're a bitch most of the time," he answered with a smirk.

He did _not_ just say that.

"OH, LIKE YOU'RE THE ONE TO TALK!" I hollered. "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES A DAY I KEEP MYSELF FROM WANTING TO BREAK EVERY SINGLE BONE IN YOUR BODY! YOU KNOW WHAT? JUST FOR SAYING THAT I OUTTA…" Then, I caught myself before I could finish and sighed as I pushed him back into his seat while I plopped down in my own, crossing my leg over my knee. "You know what? Let's just get back to HQ without killing each other, all right? I'm tired from chasing you around that library."

With that, I rested my arm on the window sill as I gazed out at the scene. Havoc entered the vehicle, taking a seat beside me, and then he closed the door beside him. Instantly after that, the vehicle began rolling down the pathway and towards Eastern Command. As irritated as I was with Edward for the umpteenth time in a row, I allowed a small smile to cross my face as I pictured Nina and Alexander. I sighed dreamily, knowing that I would be able to see them once again.

**~ . . * . . ~**

The night flew by quickly, and soon, Edward, Alphonse and I were back at the Tucker estate. From the look on Edward's face, I could tell that he was ready to dive into that mountain of books he left yesterday, and, most likely, start a brand new pile. Al was ready to play with Nina, and I'll admit that I was excited to see the little brunette girl once again. She was the only thing on my mind the entire trip to the mansion.

"Ah, Edward, Daniel, Al," Tucker spoke, opening the door. "Thanks for stopping by. Please, do come in."

Once again, the Colonel bid us farewell, saying that he would send someone to pick us up that evening. The three of us traveled into the mansion, which was, much to my expectations, still cluttered. It didn't bother me much, and I began to follow the two Elric brothers and Mr. Tucker down the hall to the library.

"Dani!" a small voice cried.

The four of us came to a halt upon hearing my name, and then we turned around. As soon as my eyes landed on the owner of the voice, I couldn't help but smile. Keeling down on one knee, I stretched out my arms, welcoming the little girl into my arms. Nina, dressed in a pink T-shirt and beige overalls, giggled as she threw her arms around me, and we held each other tight, never wanting to let go.

"She's been excited to see you all day," Tucker explained. "All night, and all this morning, she's been talking about Dani coming over."

"Ready to play?" Nina asked.

"Well..." I began, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

"We're going to study for a minute in the library," Al answered for me. Nina frowned up at him, but the suit of armor quickly recovered. "But, we'll play later, okay?"

The little girl smiled. "Okay."

I smiled down at her, and then I stood up and followed behind Ed and Al into the library. Tucker left the books in their former places from the day before, and Edward dashed into the room ready to dive into the mountain of books, while Al and I calmly strode into the room to our places. We hauled our books over to a corner so that we could read together and share any important information we found out. Opening the book, I fixed my eyes on the page. No time for nodding off now.

Well, the three of us got a good hour or so of studying in before Nina and Alexander snuck into the room. Of course, we didn't shoo her away. Instead, Nina sat down between Al and me, lounging against her dog's fur. Edward continued to focus on his reading while Nina, Al, and I struck up a conversation.

"So, is it just you and your dad at home?" the suit of armor inquired.

Nina nodded. "Mommy left home two years ago."

Al stared at her taken aback, but spoke calmly: "Your mother left you alone with your dad?"

"Daddy said she went to live with her parents," the little girl answered.

Even though his face was hidden by the helmet, I could tell that Al was feeling the slightest bit of sympathy for the girl. I know for a fact that i was, but I wouldn't dare show it. If Edward caught the slightest glimpse of my soft-side, I wouldn't hear the end of his teasing!

"You must be lonely with no one but your dad around," Alphonse spoke.

Nina smiled, but shook her head. "Daddy's really nice, and I've got Alexander to play with."

With that she wrapped her arms around the canine's neck, nuzzling her little face in his fur. I smiled down at her, but it quickly faded once I noticed Nina's eye droop as she released a small sigh.

"But, Daddy's been his lab a lot," she continued. "So, I guess that does make me a little lonely."

I patted the top of her head, giving her a reassuring smile. I knew how she felt, that was for sure; however, I never had an animal companion like Alexander to keep me company. Glancing over at the two brothers, I could see sympathy forming in their eyes, especially on Edward, who had just glanced up from his book and over at the little girl.

Suddenly, Edward slammed his book closed, causing Nina to glance up confused. He stood up, stretching his arms releasing the widest (and most obnoxious I might add) yawn. Al glanced over at his brother as perplexed as Nina and I were.

"Man, my arms are aching like crazy," he spoke, rotating his shoulder around.

"Maybe you should move around for a while, Brother," Alphonse suggested.

Then, I noticed the corner of Edward's mouth curl up into a smirk as he continued to rotate his arms, relieving himself of the aching and soreness. As he twisted his right arm around, however, could hear the sound of metal scraping against each other. That raised my curiosity some more, but I shrugged the thought of thinking that it was Al moving his head to face his older brother.

"Sounds good to me, Al," the blonde answered. Then, he pointed at Alexander. "Hey, mutt!"

The dog lifted his head up in response, letting out a bark in reply. Nina's confused gaze traveled over to Edward, who only continued to grin at the hunk of fur with four legs.

"You look like you could use some exercise," the Fullmetal Alchemist spoke.

I smiled over at him, while Al closed his book, glancing down at the little girl and her dog.

"Why don't we go with them, Nina?" the suit of armor asked.

The little girl blinked as she glanced from the two boys, and then up at me. I only smiled down at her and patted her on the head. She smiled back, and then the five of us walked out of the library and into the courtyard outside.

I stood beside Alphonse underneath a tree as we watched Edward laugh running away from Alexander, ridden by Nina, who only giggled along with him. Edward's cries of "Can't catch up with me!" and, "Too fast for ya, mutt?" echoed through the courtyard. Nina sure had changed since yesterday. She was timid and shy when I first met her, and now she's opened up to not only me but Al and Edward as well.

"I wonder what made Ed decide to play with her," I mused.

"I think it's because he and I both can relate to Nina's relationship with her dad," Alphonse answered.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I glanced up at him.

"When Edward and I were younger," the suit of armor began. "Our dad would study alchemy for hours in his office. He never was around much at home, since he was working all the time."

"Oh," I spoke sympathetically.

"Big sister Dani!" Nina's voice cried out as Alexander chased Edward around in a circle. "Come and play!"

"Coming!" I called out, racing into the courtyard.

I probably should've been looking where I was going because soon a blue strobe of light from Alchemy flashed through the courtyard blinding me for a minute. As my eyes began to readjust, I glanced up to find a blur of white rush straight towards me. I identified the blur as Alexander, who was probably spooked by the sudden flash of light, because in mere seconds, I was trampled by the massive canine.

**~ . . * . . ~**

"Big sister Dani...?" a voice spoke gently.

The voice sounded like it was miles away, as my vision was nothing but clouded darkness. Eventually light filtered in through my eyelids as my eyesight revealed three out of focus faces hovering over mine.

"You okay, Circles?" another voice inquired.

I groaned as a throbbing pain coursed through my skull. My vision gradually grew clear, but suddenly there was a white blob hovering over me. I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I stared up at it; but suddenly, a long tongue was swept across my face, coating it in sopping wet saliva. I gagged quickly sitting up straight, and then rubbed my face with my sleeve sputtering out the foreign spit that leaked into my mouth.

Blinking a few times, I glanced up to find my vision had cleared, revealing the faces of Edward, Alphonse and Nina. Turning around, I found that the white blob was none other than Alexander, sitting on the ground beside me.

"Guess we could call _that_ the 'kiss-of-life'," Edward sneered.

I quickly whirled around to face him, gritting my teeth in irritation. "And just what's that supposed to mean, Elric?"

"Well, we were close to burying out on in the courtyard until the mutt kissed you," the blonde answered. "Of course, that's probably the only time in your life you'll _ever_ get kissed."

"THAT'S IT!" I snapped, scrambling to my feet.

With that, I took off running after Edward, who was sprinting around the entire courtyard like a jackrabbit. How did he have so much energy? Even as my legs grew tired, he was running without even breaking a sweat! Then, an idea popped into my mind as I slid to a halt. Smirking, I climbed up the tree Al and I were standing under previously. I stayed there for a while until I noticed the blonde walk towards the tree glancing around and calling out my name.

"Dani? Where'd you go-" he began.

However, I cut him off by pouncing on him from the tree, pinning him to the ground flat on his stomach. Straddling his waist with my legs, I held down one of his arms, and twisted his other arm behind his back.

"Ow!" Edward screeched in pain. "Okay, okay, you win! UNCLE!"

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over us, but neither Ed nor I had enough time to glance up. In an instant, I was sandwiched between Edward and the behemoth mutt, who sat on top of us, thumping his tail on the ground. Edward and I groaned as Alexander licked the blonde's hair, causing it to stand on end. Nina raced over to us and threw her arms around her dog's neck, earning her a slobbery lick from the mutt.

We spent another hour playing in the courtyard with Nina before heading back into the library. Evening soon rolled around, and Tucker called us into the dining room to talk to us about his "Assessment Day". Nina sat on the floor, stroking Alexander's thick, white fur, not much interested in the conversation among the four of us.

"So, what's the big deal about this 'Assessment Day', Mr. Tucker?" I inquired, breaking through the silence.

"Well, you see, Daniel," he began dismayed, adjusting his glasses.

The room grew silent as the man rested his arms on the table and glanced down as if he were reflecting on a tragic event in the past. Edward, Al, and I sat at the table anxiously awaiting his answer.

"Before I received my State Alchemist certification, our life was terrible," Tucker began. "We suffered through poverty, and my wife couldn't stand it, so she left. That's why I can't fail this assessment. I don't think I could stand going back to a poor life."

"You'll do fine, Daddy!" Nina spoke up. "If you _don't_ pass, me and Alexander will growl at them! Then they'll just have to say 'yes'!"

I smiled down at Nina. For a four-year-old she sure was an optimistic one. Alphonse even encouraged Nina's promise to her father. As I glanced over at Mr. Tucker, I noticed that he had a calm smile spread across his face as he gazed down at his daughter.

"Nina," he spoke kindly. "How about this? I could take half of the day off tomorrow, and we'll play together, all right?"

The little girl perked up, and whirled around to face her father, beaming with happiness. "Really, Daddy?"

Tucker nodded in reply. Out of overflowing joy, Nina leapt into her father's lap and threw her arms around his neck. It was nice to see Mr. Tucker take the time off from his work and spend it with his beloved daughter. She definitely needed the quality time.

**~ . . * . . ~**

Dark clouds hovered in the dim, afternoon sky, signifying the coming of rain. In fact, if I wasn't mistaken, I thought I heard the sound of rumbling thunder off in the distance. Well, nothing a little bad weather couldn't hurt. We just wouldn't be able to play outside with Nina. The black military car parked outside the front gates of the mansion, and then Al, Edward, and I stepped onto the cobble stone pathway. We thanked our driver for dropping us off, and then waved as the vehicle rolled down the road.

"Last one to the door is a rotten egg!" Edward cried, whirling around and darting off down the pathway.

"Hey!" I called out, racing after him. "You got a head start!"

Whether the Fullmetal Alchemist got a head start or not, he would pass me anyway. Damn my lack of lower muscle strength... Suddenly a thought crossed my mind, and I slid to a halt. Keeping my glance locked on the blonde scurrying over to the door, I slammed my hands down on the cobblestone pathway. Instantly a slab of stone jerked out of the pathway, causing Edward to trip over it and fall forward. Without a moment to lose, I scurried to my feet and darted straight towards the door. I laughed and made a face at Edward as I zipped towards the door, placing my hand on it. Thank goodness I kept those circles etched on my gloves.

"No fair!" Ed hollered, pointing an accusing finger at me. "You cheated!"

"There was _nothing_ about _not_ using alchemy," I answered simply. When the blonde only groaned in response, I smirked. "Don't be such a sore loser, Elric," I crossed my arms over my chest, smiling triumphantly. "I beat you for the very first time, so I deserve bragging rights."

"Oh yeah?" he spoke from beside me. "Well, for losing to a cheater, I deserve _this_!"

With that, he swept my hat off from the top of my head. Whirling around on my heel, I chased after him through the courtyard. Edward stopped to turn around and face me; but as I reached out my hand to snatch my black cap, the blonde reeled his hand back so that I missed. The blonde chuckled at every failed attempt I made to snatch my hat. Oh yeah, Ed, this was hilarious.

"Give it back, Elric!" I demanded.

"Only if you can snatch it," he teased, switching the hat to his other hand.

"I'm serious! Give it back before you ruin it!" I retorted.

"Why's this hat so important to you anyway?"

"IT WAS MY FATHER'S!"

With that, I ripped the cap from his hands and glared at him. Edward only blinked as he stared at me, he's amusement completely morphed into puzzlement. Al, who stood a few feet behind his brother, gave me the same glance. Ignoring the two of them, I turned away from them releasing a deep breath, and then I adjusted my black cap on top of my head.

"C'mon, you guys," I spoke, walking towards the front door. "We can't keep Mr. Tucker waiting."

As soon as I reached the towering pair of doors, Edward and Al stood on the stone steps. Reaching my hand up, I grabbed the rope of the bell and rung it a few time. Then, I let go and took a step back, standing beside Edward. The three of us waited for what felt like an hour; however, no one greeted us. I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I stared at the door, and then I glanced over at the two boys.

"Mr. Tucker did say he was going to be home, right?" I inquired.

"He should be," Edward answered, just as confused as I was.

Then, Al took a step up and knocked firmly on the door. Nothing. Not even the sound of approaching footstep could be heard from the other side of the door. Edward and I exchanged a confused glance, and then looked up at Al, who placed his hand on the door. Surprisingly, the door was unlocked, allowing Al to open it with ease.

"We're here, Mr. Tucker," the boy called into the darkness of the foyer. "Thanks for having us again."

When no one gave a reply, I knew something was terribly wrong; and as I glanced over at the blonde, I could tell that he was concerned as well. So many thoughts began racing around in my mind: 'Were they robbed last night?', 'Did someone kidnap Nina?' or worse, 'Did someone kill them?' Shaking away the thought, I followed the Elric brothers into the mansion. We strode down the winding, deserted corridors searching for either Tucker or his daughter, but there was no movement made anywhere.

I cupped my hands around my mouth. "Anyone home?"

"Mr. Tucker?" Al called out.

"Nina?" Edward added.

The longer we searched, the more worried I became. What could've happened to them? I didn't even _want_ to imagine a scene with blood stained along the walls of a room with the body of the little girl and her father lying limp on the ground. I shuddered quickly banishing the thought from my mind, and then I glanced up to find that I had slowed down behind the Elric Brothers. Picking up my pace, I caught up to them, and we continued our search.

After a good half-an-hour of searching, Edward, Al, and I stumbled upon a pair of large metal doors. I tilted my head curiously, wondering what kind of room this was and what Shou Tucker used it for.

"He must be in his lab," Al suggested.

"Yeah," Edward agreed. "It's the last place we haven't checked yet."

Taking that as his cue, Al grabbed both of the metal handles and slowly opened the door allowing the light from the hall to filter into the benighted room. As my eyes began to adjust to the darkness, I soon spotted the crouched figure of the man of the estate with his back to us. I sighed in relief, glad that he was all right. Well, that eliminated my worst nightmare of him and his daughter being killed.

Ed released a sigh of relief as he gazed at the man crouched on the floor. "There you are. We were starting to get worried."

Tucker raised his head and turned to us with a sickening smile on his face. Chills ran down my spine as the light from the hallway reflected off his glasses, while that grin of his seemed to grow wider.

"I finally did it, boys," the man spoke. "A chimera that understands human speech."

With that, he moved to the side, allowing the three of us to examine a figure that had been hidden behind him. I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I gazed across the room at the creature. At first I thought it was Alexander because of the thick fur and the way it sat on its hind legs, but upon further inspection revealed a dog-like beast with a chocolate-brown mane stretching from the top of its head and along its back. Its snout was stretched, and its paws were much too large for its body.

"There's no need to be afraid," Tucker spoke, gesturing us to walk into the room. "Let me show you."

We did as bidden, but an uneasy feeling began to stir through my body as I approached the creature.

"Look," Tucker spoke to the creature, crouching down once more. "That person is Edward."

"Ed...ward..." the creature spoke with garbled speech, that reminded me of a broken record.

Tucker beamed as he ruffled the chimera's fur atop it head. "Good job."

"Whoa..." Edward breathed in awe, staring wide-eyes down at the mutant. "It can speak!"

The man laughed, with that crooked smile still on his face. "I can't lose my certification now!"

Something screamed 'wrong' by Mr. Tucker's actions. He was acting rather strange... But, I brushed the thought away as I sat on my knees beside Edward in front of the creature. It was amazing that someone could actually transmute a chimera that could actually speak. I was in awe as much as the blonde alchemist was. The creature gazed up at me with eerie, glowing yellow eyes, tilting its head in confusion, and then it turned to face the blonde.

"Ed...ward..." it's ominous voice murmured from its throat.

While Fullmetal continued to gaze down at the beast with awe in his golden eyes, the creature continued to repeat his name, not averting it eyes from his. Suddenly, the edges of its mouth curled back into what seemed like a smile.

"Big ... brother ... Ed ... ward," it spoke.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I tilted my head to the side, gazing down at the creature. Tucker had only taught it to say Edward's name, right? Or, had he taught it other words before we entered the laboratory?

"Mr. Tucker?" Edward hissed through his teeth. "When did you receive your State Certification?"

Still perplexed, I glanced up at the man, who placed a hand to his chin in thought. "Two years ago, I believe."

Thunder echoed from beyond the walls of the mansion, while the pouring rain began tapping against the window and roof of the building. A strobe of lightning flickered through the cracks in the shutters covering the window.

"When did your wife leave?" Edward inquired, still seething in his place.

Mr. Tucker sighed as he hung his head in dismay, remembering that fateful day. "That was two years ago, too."

"May I ask one more question?" Edward asked, his voice trembling with anger. Then, he glared over his shoulder at the man. "Where are Nina and Alexander?"

Alphonse gasped from behind me, but I only glanced from Edward and Mr. Tucker still puzzled. "Yeah, where are those two? I haven't seen them all day."

No one answered as the room grew deathly quiet. I sighed, knowing that it would be a while before she came running into the room. A smile crossed my face as I closed my eyes, picturing little Nina with that smile spread across her face as she raced into my arms.

"Dani...?"

Even now I could hear her voice. Suddenly, thick fur brushed against my hand, bringing me back to reality. Blinking I glanced down at the chimera, who continued to rub its head underneath my hand, before glancing up at me with that 'smile' it gave Edward.

"Big... sis ... ter ... Dani," its garbled voice uttered.

My eye widened as I gasped, jerking away from the beast. I scooted backward until my back rested against Al's cold, metal leg; however, my gaze remained locked on the mutant's. _No..._ I thought. _This can't be real... How could this happen to someone so innocent?_

"Nina?" I whispered.

Tucker muttered something but trailed off, as Edward left my side. My eyes never left the chimera's glowing ones as I debated whether I was in reality or trapped in a horrible nightmare. No matter how many times I tightly shut my eyes for a while, they always opened back up revealing the pitiful creature gazing at me. How could Tucker do this to Nina, his own flesh and blood?

"Nina," I whispered again, crawling over to the creature.

But, I trailed off as my face was mere inches away from the creature's muzzle. I shook my head trying to deny the truth, but how could I when it was staring back at me? Visions of Nina as a little girl flashed through my mind, as well as the moments we shared playing out in the courtyard. It was only days ago when we built up a quick relationship with each other; and even though the two of us weren't related, I still considered her a sister.

Unable to hold back the tears that forced their way out of my eye, I threw my arms around the chimera's neck, burying my face in its thick fur. Gently sobbing, I ran my fingers through the creature's chocolate brown mane, what used to be the braided locks of the innocent four-year-old. Edward' enraged voice rang through the laboratory, but I ignored him as my mind continued to dwell on the few, short days we spent at the Tucker estate.

"I'm so sorry, Nina," I muttered out. "I... I said that... I'd always be there for you." Then, I hugged her tighter. "But, I wasn't this time..."

Nina rubbed her head against my shoulder, as if it were her way of comforting me. I'll admit that it did make me smile a little. Even though her father had cruelly mixed his daughter and the family dog together, she was still Nina deep down.

"SHUT UP!" Edward's voice screamed.

Snapping my head up, I glanced over to find Mr. Tucker slammed against a wall while his glasses lay on the ground. The blonde shorty clenched the man's shirt; and as I took a closer look at Fullmetal's expression, I almost backed away out of fear. Edward's golden eyes were burning with infuriation, while his hands remained taught, one grasping the man's shirt, while his free hand remained pulled back, readying for a punch.

Despite the blood leaking from his nose, and the bruise on his cheek, Tucker began to laugh manically. "We aren't much different, after all! You're just like me!"

I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but it sure ticked Edward off. Trust me, I've seen the blonde pissed off whenever someone called him short, hell I even got to experience his rage first hand! But, this... the statement brought a whole new level to Edward's already boiling anger.

"No, I'm not!" the blonde retorted.

"Yes!" Tucker exclaimed. "The opportunity was right in front of our eyes, and we took it!"

"NO!" Edward screamed, landing another blow on the man's cheek. "Not me! Alchemist's would never do that!"

The blonde launched his fist repeatedly after every sentence of denial. If it _was_ denial... I wasn't quite sure. Either way, I noticed Tucker's nose bleeding terrible, while a few teeth clew from his jaw. A ticked off as I was with him for using his own daughter as a guinea pig for his experiment, I had to stand up for him.

"Stop it, Elric!" I shouted.

"I'm not..." Edward mused. "I'M NOT LIKE YOU-!"

"BROTHER!" Al screamed, grabbing Edward's wrist before he could land another blow to the side of the man's face. "He'll die if you keep hurting him!"

The blonde alchemist relaxed somewhat, but his eyes never left the man's face. Tucker looked to be between the line of consciousness and unconsciousness as he slouched against the wall. Multiple scratches were formed on his face, and the blood was dripping from his nose and mouth over his clothes. Nina stood up and walked away from me, seating herself beside the blonde alchemist, who relaxed and gazed down at her.

"No... Ed..." she murmured.

With his eyes still locked on the creature, Edward released his gasp on Mr. Tucker, allowing him to slide down the wall onto the floor. Nina whined, much like Alexander would, and walked over to her father, licking the wounds on his face. My knees were shaking as I stood up beside Al, and the three of us gazed down at the father and transmuted daughter. I still couldn't believe that Tucker would stoop so low to make a mutant out of his own daughter! Well, nothing could erase this now...

"Ed?" the suit of armor asked.

However, his brother did not answer. I glared over at the so-called father to Nina, and then I turned my attention back over at his transmuted creature. Nina didn't deserve that. She had no right to be trapped in that mutant body!

Al knelt down, stroking Nina' head with his gloved hand. "I'm sorry this happened. I wish we could change you back, Nina, but we don't have the power."

I didn't say anything, and then I glanced down at the wooden floor with the visor of my cap shielding my eyes. Edward continued to stare down Tucker, and Al was paying more attention to Nina, I kept my eyes hidden as a few tears streaked down my face. How could he do such a thing? I knew that I had asked myself that over and over, but I still couldn't release the thought from my mind.

Suddenly, there was a brush against my leg, and my gaze traveled over to find Nina looking up at me with that pitiful face. I knelt down to her level placing a hand on her head, brushing her mane back.

"Don't ... cry ... big ... sister ..." she spoke.

I smiled at her. "I'll be fine, Nina."

"Can we ... play ... now ...?" the creature asked, glancing from Al and I hopefully.

Tucker murmured insanely in his place at the wall, and then the sound of metal colliding onto the floor echoed through the room. I glanced over to find Tucker coddling his State Alchemist pocket watch with a broken chain, and then my eyes trailed over to Ed, who was seething as he glared down at the man.

"Like hell you're staying a State Alchemist..." the blonde hissed.

Then, Edward released a painful scream as he knelt down on the ground sobbing in not only pain from his wounded eye, but also for Nina.

**~ . . * . . ~**

"Right, Fullmetal? Tremor?" The colonel's deep voice spoke, breaking through my thoughts.

Edward, Alphonse, and I sat on the steps of Eastern Command headquarters. Colonel Mustang and Hawkeye stopped by to talk to us about the situation with Tucker on their way to the military vehicle parked out front.

Ignoring him, I kept my gazed fixed on the ground. I didn't care how soaked my clothes were from the pouring rain; I didn't care if my hair clung to the back of my neck; hell, I didn't care if I caught pneumonia out in this weather! Sighing, I slowly sat up fixing my eye up at the sky. How could this happen to Nina? How could _we_ let this happen? How could _anyone_ let this happen to an innocent young girl?

"You'll come across more cases such as this in the future," Mustang spoke. "You may even get your hands dirty as well."

With that, he and Hawkeye traveled down the stairs and towards the military car. I scoffed to myself, disgusted by his calm tone, and I glared daggers at hi retreating back. How could he be calm at a time like this?

Then, the colonel stopped, and glanced over his shoulder at the blonde. "What? Are you going to sulk every time something like _this_ happens?"

"I don't care if we're dogs of the military," Edward murmured, with hi head still hung. "We may be thought of as 'devils', but I don't care..."

Edward clenched the sleeves of his red cloak, murmuring something else; however, I was unable to comprehend it. Turning my attention towards Mustang, I glared at him at he continued to the black vehicle. 'Be thou for the people...' that was the alchemist's motto. We weren't there for Nina, and neither was he! How could he shrug the matter off like this?

"We're not devils nor gods..." Edward spoke up, causing Mustang and Hawkeye to halt and turn to him. Then, he stood up and faced the dark sky. "We're only humans!"

I agreed with the blonde one-hundred-percent on that, and then I gazed down at the colonel and lieutenant as they made their way into the vehicle. If those two had been through what we went through today, I was sure that they would be feeling the same pain we were in right now.

"We couldn't even save a little girl..." Edward murmured, glancing down at the ground once more.

I sighed as I gazed off into space. Nothing could change now...

* * *

**WAAAAAHHH! *blows nose in tissue* that episode gets me every time whether it the 2003 anime or "Brotherhood"... *sniffles***

**Anyway, I thought I might show you guys Dani's soft side. I mean, of course she's not always cold as ice.**

**Other than that, I hope you guys enjoyed it~!**

**Rate and Review please!**


	4. Remembrance

**Heeelllloooo again, everyone~!**

**FIRST OFF! I'm so so soooo sorry for the late update. Finals and my musical kinda got in the way of my writing -_-; IN OTHER NEWZ! I just want to say that the "S" key on my keyboard is now fixed! HOORAAAY! No More Jamming! :D**

**OH, AND Another thing... You guys may think that I'm a total idiot but... I just realized the other day that Central Command and East City are two different places... ... ... ... Sooooo, yeeeeeaaaaaahhhh... I had to go back through the story and change "Central Command" to "Eastern" (Which really didn't take that long considering the fact that there are only 3 chapters so far...)**

**Okay, back to business... Well, I just want to say thank you guys so so SOOOOOOO MUCH! After only three chapters, I've gotten almost 20 reviews! Thanks a lot, you guys!**

**OH ONE MORE THING! I took the FMA Mary-Sue Litmus Test and Dani is DEFINITELY **_**NOT**_** a Mary Sue! She scored 16! WOOHOO GO DANI! ^^**

**Anywayz, enough of my babbling! Enjoy the next chapter of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood "Fire and Ice"!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist, the original series nor "Brotherhood", and I DO NOT own the manga either! That rightfully belongs to Hiromu Arakawa!**

**All I own is my OC, Dani ^^**

* * *

**Chapter IV: **_**Remembrance**_

The harsh tapping of the rain against the window awoke me from my fitful sleep. Wearily opening my eyes, I glanced out into the barely lit sky of dawn. My vision was clouded from lack of sleep, and I was sure there were visible bags hanging from beneath my eyes. The blankets hung tangled down by my ankles, most likely the result of my fight for sleep while tossing and turning in my bed.

Sighing roughly, I turned on my side, facing the wall. I wasn't in the mood for crawling out of bed. Nina's transmutation was beginning to take its toll on me, and it had only been a day or so. On top of all that, I couldn't breathe through my nose, and my entire body was aching like crazy! Sitting out in that rain last night was definitely _not_ a good idea. I wasn't sure if either Ed or Al had caught a cold; well, Ed may have, but Al was inside that armor, allowing him the advantage of not obtaining any sickness.

As much as I wanted to return to the peaceful arms of sleep, it was more difficult that I thought. I had to roll over on my side to drain all the snot from one side of my nose to the other; and after a while, I turned on my other side draining everything to the other side. It was beginning to irk me! I felt like I could just crawl into a hole and die. My vision was slightly blurry as I gazed out the window, watching the droplets of rain streak down the glass. Rolling onto my back, I rubbed my eyes with my arms, and then blinked until my eyesight was clear.

Gazing up at the ceiling, I began to reflect on that fateful morning when Edward, Al, and I walked into the ominous atmosphere of the Tucker estate. Scenes of meeting Tucker in his laboratory began to flash through my mind, as well as pictures of poor Nina trapped in that chimera body. I gritted my teeth together grasping the blanket in my fist. How could he do that to his own daughter? She was all that he had left!

"Damb you, Tugga," I murmured, my sinuses too stuffy to pronounce anything correctly. "Damb you ta Hell..."

I was cut off as my chest began to grow heavy, and a tickling sensation formed in the back of my throat. Tossing onto my side, I grasped my middle with my arm as I bent over, coughing roughly into my free arm. As soon as my fit subsided, I moaned, burying the side of my face into my pillow as I gazed into the empty barrack. The only thing that accompanied me in my weak state was the sound of the tapping downpour against the window.

Knowing that I couldn't lie in bed all day, I slowly sat up; but quickly held my head in my hand as it began to throb and I began to grow dizzy. Once I knew that I would be able to keep my balance without falling over, I stood up and slipped my baggy pants over my pajama bottoms, my jacket over my white T-shirt, and finally my combat boots. Grabbing my hat off the bed knob, I strode out of the room and into the hallway. Standing up straight seemed to clear my sinuses somewhat, and the walking was helping my limbs from growing stiff.

I acknowledged the other troops I passed by with a quick salute before continuing on down the hall. I didn't care where I was heading, just as long as I wasn't cooped up in that stuffy room, making my cold worse than it already was. Hopefully, that was all it was and nothing severe like pneumonia!

Then, three familiar voices from down the hallway caught my attention. Glancing up, I found Alphonse, Edward, and Lieutenant Hawkeye standing in the hallway. Edward looked as sleep deprived as I was, but I wouldn't blame him. After the incident, he was just as traumatized as the rest of us. Suddenly, Al said something, and Ed stared up at the lieutenant in shock with his mouth open. I raised an eye in confusion as I slowly approached the three.

Riza Hawkeye stepped out of the room she was in, carrying a black cloak over one arm, and then she began to walk down the hall away with her back to the me, Edward, and the suit of armor. As Hawkeye proceeded to slip on her cloak, Edward and his brother began to follow after her, persistent for something. This only raised my curiosity as I watched Fullmetal's expression change into enraged.

"Why can't we?" he exclaimed.

Riza stopped in her place and turned to the two boys, who came to a halt. The corridor grew deathly quiet as she stared down at the blonde alchemist. Edward and Al gazed at her, waiting for her reply. Aside from the irritation boiling between the two Elric brothers, Hawkeye was able to keep a calm composure as she stared down sternly at the blonde alchemist. She said something in that calm, but strong, tone of hers before turning around, leaving the boys standing in a daze.

Knowing that this would be the time to catch up with the conversation, I strode down the hall to the brothers. "Whad's goin' on, you guys?"

Startled, Edward and Al turned face me. "Dani?" the younger brother asked. "What're you doing up this early?"

"I was goin' ta ask you two 'da same 'ding," I answered blandly.

To be honest, I was expecting Edward to burst out laughing by the way I was talking; however, much to my surprise, he kept a straight face as he stared down at the wooden floor. From the look of it, the blonde didn't seem to have caught a cold or anything when the three of us were sulking in the rain the other day. That lucky dog...

"Are you all right, Dani?" Al asked. "You don't sound too well."

"I just godda cold," I answered, waving my hand dismissively. "No big deal." Then, I glanced from the two brothers. "So, why're you guys up early?"

The armored brother hesitated, unsure of what to say, and then he glanced down at his brother for assistance. From the look on Edward's face, it didn't like he was in such a good mood for talking. The blonde alchemist only shoved his clenched hands in his pockets, continuing to gaze down at the ground, while Al turned glanced down at me.

"We stopped by to ask what the military was going to do with Mr. Tucker and Nina," Al explained, rather sorrowfully.

"Oh," I answered, as unwanted visions of the chimera flashed through my mind. Then, I released a deep breath. "Well, he'll receive jusdice for whad he's done."

Then I gritted my teeth together in frustration, as I glanced away_. No, Danielle, don't even think about it_, I chided myself_. As much as he doesn't deserve to live, you don't have the right to determine his fate_. Releasing a sigh, I adjusted my black cap and shoved my hands in my pockets.

"Well, see you guys lader," I spoke, brushing passed them.

I hadn't taken but five steps or so when Edward muttered: "He'll receive justice, all right… especially where he's going."

Stopping in place, I released a deep breath and turned back to face the two brothers. "Look, I know you guys are still tigged off aboud what Tugga did, I am too. But, id's lige whad 'da Colonel said: 'We'll come across stuff lige 'dis a lot'." Then, I turned back around and began walking. "Besides, I'm sure 'dat 'da army'll put Nina in a good place."

"Nina's dead, Dani," Edward spoke solemnly.

Immediately, I stopped as the corridors grew silent. My eyes widened as the mere thought ran through my mind. Nina was... dead? How? That couldn't be true. How did Edward and Al know about it? When was it announced?

Just to make sure I wasn't hearing things, I glanced over my shoulder at the two brothers. "Whad?"

"Both Nina and Tucker were murdered," Edward answered, not even turning to face me.

My eyes widened as I turned around. _No,_ I thought to myself. _This can't be true... It feels like only yesterday Nina and I-_ I trailed off as images of the little girl flashed through my mind. It was only a few days ago when I was playing with her in the courtyard, and just the other day we stumbled upon her as a chimera in her father's lab. I quickly grew attached to the little girl, only to discover now that she had slipped through my fingers like tiny grains of sand. My entire world felt like it was falling apart with the ground tearing open, ready to swallow me whole.

Then, Ed adjusted his red cloak and began walking down the hall.

"Brother?" Al inquired, watching Edward's figure shrink the further he walked.

"I'm going outside," The blonde answered.

"But... it's still raining," the armored boy protested.

Edward didn't answer. He just continued on down the hallway until his figure was a red speck. Al and I stood wordlessly, and my mind was still on the subject of the little girl. That must have been what Riza was telling the boys, and Edward and Al were persistent to go with her to inspect the crime scene. As much as I wanted to go, I couldn't risk going out in the rain, especially as unwell as I already was.

"I should probably go with him," Al spoke calmly. Then, he looked down at me. "You should go rest, Dani."

After that, he turned his attention to where his brother's figure disappeared, and strode down the hallway, his metal boots clanking every step he took across the wooden floor. I stared after him until his figure disappeared around the corner, and then I sighed, removing my cap and running my hand through my hair. Taking Al's advice, I shoved my hands in my pocket and strode down the corridor back to my room.

The narrow, maze-like halls of Eastern Headquarters were empty. Nothing accompanied my except the sound of my boots against the polished wooden floors and the thoughts and images of the little girl and running around the courtyard with her and Alexander.

As soon as I reached my room, I closed the door behind me and gazed around. The only light filtering into the room was the sunlight that barely peeked through the dark rainclouds hovering in the sky. Gazing over at my desk, which was covered in paper and books, I sighed. I knew I was supposed to be filing my paperwork on the reports of my findings, but I wasn't in the mood. Hell, I wasn't even in the mood to play with a little alchemy.

Groaning, I plopped down on my bed and hung my head. The only thing that ran through my mind was Edward's somber voice saying that Nina was dead. Both she and her father were murdered. By who, though? Wasn't the estate guarded by military troops? Nina didn't deserve death. Her father definitely deserved it, but not her! She hadn't done anything wrong! She was young, she had her whole life ahead of her, but now... it was all taken away.

Removing my black cap, I held it in my hands and stared down at it. Then, more thoughts began to flow unwillingly in my mind, not just of Nina though. Closing my eyes tight, I clenched the hat in my hand, trying to banish the unwanted thoughts; sadly, they would leave. They would forever plague me, like a scarring nightmare of a young child. I always had something to take my mind off those thoughts, but now with the news of Nina's death, it just seemed to add to the collection.

"Why does everyone I become close to have ta die?" I asked myself.

Of course, the only answer I received was the tapping rain against the window. Sighing, I relaxed my muscles and stared down at the cap. So many people had died, everyone I grew attached to died, and every time that happened, myself, and my life began tearing up even more like the earth shifting the land wider and further apart into a gaping fault.

"Dad," I whispered. "If you were here, you'd know what ta do."

After that, I stayed silent for a few moments as I reminisced on a few distant memories. Then, I stood up, but staggered as my head began to throb with pain followed by another dizzy spell. Once the pain subsided, I walked over to my desk and turned on the lamp. These reports weren't going to finish themselves, and I didn't even want to think about what Mustang would do if they were unfinished by the last day. Scanning the unfinished report, I opened the book to where I left off, and then I grabbed a pencil and began to write.

**...**

_**12 Years Earlier**_

**Dani: Age 4**

**...**

The warm temperature of summer radiated throughout the vast farmlands. Trees, orchards, and pastures were organized, that, when seen from a bird's eye view, looked like patches in a quilt. The trees were brimming with their radiant green leaves, and the bright sun beamed down on the farmland, while a few wisps of clouds streaked the clear, blue sky. The sun itself hung in the sky, just above the treetops, ready to pull the evening in to view.

A small, white house, about one-storied tall, was set in the middle of a field, with the dirt pathway leading from the trail to the front door. It was neatly decorated with an array of trees off to the side and flower beds placed snug against the edges of the porch. Behind the house sat two poles separated by long wires, where a blonde-headed woman was unpinning white bed sheets from the wires, and placing them in the woven basket beside her.

"Mommy! Mommy!" I called out, racing over to the woman.

Puzzled, she glanced over at me as I approached her. She curved a strand of curly, blonde hair behind her ear, and her copper brown eyes shimmered in the sunlight as she watched me race across the field. My mother was clad in her usual, house-work attire: one of her dresses with a white pinafore.

As soon as I stood in front of my mother, she sighed and knelt down to my level. "Danielle Russo, just look at your clothes."

With that she pointed a finger at my brand new, pink overall-dress that was now stained with dirt and patches of mud, along with my white T-shirt underneath. My short, golden blonde hair was tousled and curled as if I had just rolled out of bed.

Ignoring her remark, I continued to smile up at my mother. "I got these for you, Mommy!"

With that, I held out the clump of daisies in my hand to my mother. She smiled slightly, and accepted them. "Thank you, dear. Where did you find these?"

"Over there," I answered simply, pointing to a bush next to our house that had been slightly trampled.

My mother only stared taken aback at the ruined, formerly organized, daisy patch that decorated the front of our house. All that work she had put in for making the house look prim and proper for the spring and summer had all gone to waste. I continued to smile up at her, proud of myself for giving her a gift that she loved (at least, at _that_ age I figured she did). Then my mother sighed and shook her head.

"Danielle, just look what you've done," she muttered.

I frowned as I stared up at her. "You don't like it, Mommy?"

"No, no, I like them, but..." she trailed off as she glanced over at the ruined flower beds, and then she gazed down at me. "Next time, be a little more careful. Okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," I answered.

Forcing a smile, she turned back to me. "Why don't you go swing, or play around in the yard?"

I nodded, and then right after that, I took off running into the large yard behind our home. There was a large vegetable garden off to the left, filled with carrots leaves poking up from the ground, small, sprouting pods on the vines, and small cabbage shells. A few oak trees adorned the wide farmland, but one giant oak tree stood out among the rest, with two ropes hanging from its branches, and was tied to a wooden plank.

_My mother was always working hard with everything she did. She never stopped to take a break unless she was on the edge of passing out. She had to balance the housework, yard work, and taking care of me all at once. I would help out every once in a while; but at that age, there was barely anything I could do. So, whenever my mother gave me the opportunity to play out in the yard, I immediately took it with no objections._

I raced over to swing, but a blurry, yellow object caught my attention. Tilting my head in curiosity, I slowly made my way over to the vegetable garden, my eyes still locked on the yellow object. It suddenly began floating around in the air, making me gasp, and then it landed on one of the sprouting cabbages. My mother's words rang in my mind, and I was sure that if she wanted me to be careful of her things, she wanted everything else to be careful.

"Don't hurt mommy's plants!" I shouted, racing over to the creature.

As soon as I was about a meter away from it, it fluttered its tiny yellow wings, outlined in black, and landed on a nearby rose bush. I cautiously moved closer to the creature, only to find that it was a harmless butterfly. A smirk crossed my lips as I tip-toed over to the bush; and once I was about a foot away from it, I swung my arms forward, cupping my hands over the spot where the insect was. Lifting my hands up, I found that the creature wasn't in my hands, nor was it on the bush. Frantically, I glanced around for the butterfly, and I quickly spotted it hovering towards the large oak tree.

I giggled as I chased after the colorful creature, keeping my eyes locked onto it as it landed on the trunk of the tree and stayed there for a moment. Apparently, the noise I was making while laughing alerted it of my arrival, because when I was only a meter or two away, it fluttered around the back of the tree. Frowning at yet another fail to capture the insect, I raced around the tree but couldn't find it. I frantically glanced everywhere, running around the tree a few times, but the butterfly was nowhere in sight.

Standing beside the tree, I sighed in defeat as I gazed out at the wide yard. My mother was nowhere to be seen, so I assumed that she had already gathered the dry laundry and traveled inside. Next she would presumably be trying to find a vase to set the flowers in, or prepare supper. The sun was setting behind the tops of the trees, painting the evening sky an orange and red hue.

Suddenly two strong arms grasped around my waist and quickly picked me up high off the ground. I yelped in surprise as I was twirled around in the air a couple of times. Once I was set back down on my feet, I steadied myself trying to get rid of the dizziness. The person who had picked me up took me by surprise, and I knew, from its grip, that it couldn't have possibly been my mother.

Turning around, I found a sophisticated man in the prime of his life was knelt down on one knee so that he could be at eye level with me. His face was clean shaved, and he wore a warm smile on his face. His deep green eyes sparkled with adoration as he gazed down at me. His dark, wavy hair was hidden underneath a black cap he wore atop his head, and his attire was a blue military uniform.

It only took a few seconds of thinking before I smiled up at the man. "Daddy!" I exclaimed, flinging my arms around his neck. "I missed you!"

He gave a chuckle as he wrapped his strong arms tightly around me. "I missed you too, princess." Then, we broke apart, and my father smiled adoringly down at me. "My, you've grown so much since I saw you last. Have you been helping mommy out?"

I nodded. "I help out with the garden stuff, and sometimes I help with dinner."

My father chuckled, and then placed his hand on my head and ruffled my hair. "Good for you, Danielle. Now," he added, picking me up in his arms, and standing up. "Let's go see what Mommy's up to."

With that, he began walking through the back yard towards the small, white house. As soon as my father reached the front porch, he ascended the staircase, and then knocked on the wooden door twice. After that, he twisted the brass doorknob and pushed the door forward, which squeaked upon opening.

"Elaine?" he called out into the empty foyer.

"Mommy!" I exclaimed with joy. "Daddy's home!"

As soon as my father had taken a few steps into the room, he set me down on the wooden floor and then closed the door behind him. Once he glanced up, my mother appeared from the kitchen. Once her copper brown eyes locked onto his emerald green ones, she smiled.

"There's my soldier," my mother spoke, walking up to him. Then, she gave him a small peck on the lips. "How was Ishvaal?"

My father sighed, and then he removed his cap, running a hand through his thick locks of dark hair. "It's been the same for the past three years. Nothing but dust and shattered remains of the homes there."

Frowning, my mother shook her head. "And to think this silly war began over a religion dispute." She paused for a minute, and then glanced back up at my father with a smile. "At least you came home safe."

At the word 'home' I rushed over to him. "Daddy?" I asked, tugging his blue pants.

He knelt down to my level and gazed at me curiously. "Yes, Danielle?"

"Are you gonna stay longer this time?" I inquired.

My father smiled. "As far as I know, I'm going to be home for a little longer than last time."

My face brightened at the thought. "So, can we play?"

A smirk crossed my father's lips. "That depends if you've gotten fast enough to outrun the Tickle Monster!"

With that, he wrapped his arms around me tightly, while tickling my sides with his fingers. I giggled while trying to squirm out of his grasp. My father released me, giving me a few seconds to dash out of the room, giggling, before standing up and racing after me.

"Be careful!" my mother called out after us.

However, we ignored her and continued laughing as we ran around the house. My mother sighed and shook her head before traveling back into the kitchen to continue preparing supper. Quickly turning a corner, I dove underneath my bed and stayed there, listening to my father's footsteps down the hall. I took a few deep breaths to even out my breathing so that my father wouldn't find me quickly.

"Oh, Dani," he said in a sing-song voice. The door creaked open, and his boots came into view in front of the bed. "Come out; come out, wherever you are."

I giggled slightly, hoping that it wasn't loud enough for him to hear; however, he stopped right in front of the foot of the bed. Holding my breath, I kept my eyes on his black combat boots, and didn't make any sudden sounds or movements for fear of giving myself away. Moments passed but the felt like ages, until the boots turned around and walked towards the door.

Releasing a sigh of relief, I crawled out from underneath the bed and stood up on the floor. Suddenly, as soon as I stood up, I was grabbed around the waist and plopped on my back on the bed. I stared up into the shimmering green eyes of my father as he tickled all over my stomach and my sides. My giggling fit started up again, and I was sure that I was going to bust one of my sides, but I didn't care.

_In those days, we lived the farm-life; however, my father was still Amestrian soldier. He only had the chance to stay home for a few days or a week before heading back out to Ishvaal. With my father in the army, we gained the medical advantages we needed just in case anything ever happened to me or my mother. When he came home, he always spent as much time with us as he could before the military sent him back eastward._

"All right, you two," my mother called from down the hall. "Supper's ready."

"Yay!" I cheered, hopping off the bed and racing down the hall.

As soon as my father and I reached the dining room, we sat down in our chairs as my mother placed the plates in front of us. As soon as my plate was set before me, I stared down at the array of veggies and beans around the sliced bits of steak, and I poked the greens a few times. I made a face, and then stared up at my mother who delicately chewed her food as if she were a queen, and my father at with the same etiquette.

Knowing that I would get a scolding for allowing my food go to waste, I jabbed my fork into one of the steaming greens, made another face, before slowly popping it into my mouth, sliding my fork back out. I'll confess that it was a little tasty and not as bitter as I expected it to be, so I gladly dove in for another bite. Glancing over, I found that more steak remained on my father's plate than his vegetables, which was a no-brainer considering the fact that he had to stay fit and strong as a soldier.

"Somebody is starting to like her greens," my mother complemented.

"I wanna be strong like Daddy," I answered with a smile.

My father chuckled. "So, you want to get into the military?"

I nodded eagerly.

"Well, keep at it, Danielle, and you just might be able to fit in my boots."

With that, my father took of his black cap and placed it on my head. It didn't quite fit the size of my head; in fact, it slipped right in front of my eyes. Lifting it up slightly, I glanced around at my parents, who began chuckling as they gazed down at me.

"It's too big!" I whined.

"Don't worry," my father spoke, taking off the hat and tousling my hair with his hand. "You'll grow into it."

With that, my father smiled warmly down at me, and I returned the smile. Afterwards, the three of us continued our meal.

_I inherited my looks from my mother, especially the natural, wavy blonde hair; in fact, every time my mother stopped to chat with an old friend at the supermarket, they would always complement on how much of a carbon copy I was. However, I was always more fond of becoming like my father. I already inherited his gleaming emerald eyes. He was intelligent and courageous, never allowing anything to stand in his way. My mother and I never did have that special bond, so it was always me and my father most of the time whenever he came home._

The sound of my father's and mother's voice awoke me from my peaceful sleep. Wearily opening my eyes, I glanced up to find the early morning sunlight peeking through the curtains into my bedroom. My mother would wake me up about an hour or so after she awoke; however, I wasn't in the mood to fall back asleep, no matter how tired I was. My mother and father's soft voice from down the hall made me curious to know what they were talking about.

As quietly as I could, I slipped out of bed and tip-toed down the hall, continuing to listen to my parents' conversation. It was difficult considering I was half-asleep, and most of the stuff they confabulated about were words I didn't even know.

As soon as I reached the end of the hall, I peered around the corner to find my mother, clad in her robe, sitting on the sofa beside my father, who was in his military uniform and had a large, black bag lying on the floor in front of him. Both of them seemed distraught about something, especially my father, and my mother tried her hardest to reassure him. He only sighed and buried his face in his hands. Tilting my head in puzzlement, I continued to watch the scene before me. Never in my life had I seen my parents, especially my father, so disheartened.

"I'm not sure how I'm going to tell Danielle," my father finally spoke.

This caught my attention; and as much as I wanted to stay in secret, I just had to ask: "Tell me what, Daddy?"

Startled, both of my parents glanced up at me. Innocently, I strode out of the hall and over to them, curious to know what their conversation was about. More importantly, I wanted to know what it was that my father wanted to say to me.

Both of my parents exchanged glances with each other, and then my mother gave my father a nod, indicating that he would be the one to tell me. "I got a call from headquarters last night, and they said that things over in Ishvaal are getting pretty hectic. So," he paused as he glanced away from me. "So they want me to pack up and head back over there."

I stared up at my father wide-eyed, and took a step back. My father had only been home for three days, and he wasn't supposed to leave for Ishvaal by the end of the week! Just thinking about how quickly my father had to leave brought tears to my eyes.

"B-but..." I managed to stutter out. I paused to sniffle, before glancing back up at him. "You... you said you would be home... longer..."

"Danielle," my mother spoke up. "Daddy's job can call him back whenever they like. We have no control over it."

"But..."

I glanced from the two of them, unsure of what to say. On top of all that, the tears that I tried to contain in my eyes began spilling out, streaking down my face. Gazing down at the floor, I hid my face in my hands.

"Danielle, honey," my father spoke gently, picking me up off the floor and sitting me on his lap. He took my hands off my face and placed his hand under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "It'll be all right. I may be away from home longer than a year, but i promise I'll write to you and Mommy every time I get the chance, okay?"

I nodded in reply, too choked up to verbally answer.

My father patted the top of my head and smiled warmly down at me. Then, he glanced out the window, and then sighed before setting me down on the ground. Afterwards, he grabbed his suitcase and stood up along with me mother. I followed the two of them to the front door, which my father opened, revealing a black military van parked outside out home.

Before my father took a step outside, he turned to my mother with a smile. "I'll be home before you know it."

As I glanced up at my mother, I noticed that she was on the edge of crying, but quickly put on a smile: "Stay safe."

My father smiled, and then hugged my mother around then shoulders, giving her a quick peck on the lips. Then, he knelt down to me with that same warm smile. "Danielle?"

Unable to hold my tears in any longer, I flung my arms around my father's neck, burying my face in his shoulder. "I... I wanna go... with you..."

My father wrapped his arms around me tightly, and I wished that he never would let go. "I know you want to go, princess." Then, he released me. "But, I need you here to take care of Mommy. Can you do that for me?"

I glanced away sadly, and nodded my head.

"That's my big girl," my father spoke.

Then, he gave me a quick kiss on my forehead before standing up and walking down the staircase to the awaiting vehicle. As he climbed in, he turned around and waved to my mother and me.

"Bye, Daddy!" I called out as my mother and I waved to him. "I love you!"

My mother and I remained on the front porch, watching as my father climbed into the sleek black vehicle, which soon began to slowly roll down the road. Even though my father had left for the war before, I was only about two years old then, and I was asleep when he left.

"Come on, Danielle," my mother spoke, leading me back into the house.

I turned around and began to follow her inside, but then I stopped and glanced over my shoulder in the direction that the vehicle left. Moments passed as I gazed down the path, but then I sighed and walked into the home.

**...**

I groaned as I wearily opened my eyes. My vision was a blur, but after blinking a few times, it came into focus, revealing an empty bunker with white walls and a single bed with ruffled sheets. My entire body was achy as well as sweaty, and when I lifted my head up, a piece of paper was stuck to my face. Groaning in annoyance, I peeled the paper from my clammy skin and gazed down at it.

The words were smudged and hardly legible; hell, I had to squint just to make out the word "the" but the rest was something about a Philosophers Stone and Bio-Alchemy. That was when realization struck me. I was in the middle of finishing my paperwork for Mustang and had fallen asleep. Great... just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse. I imagined the Colonel with that smug smirk on his face and saying something along the lines of: "So the rough and tough Tremor Alchemist couldn't finish a little assignment?" I was sick as a dog for crying out loud! Couldn't they at least have given me a day off or a rain check at least?

With the thought of rain in mind, I gazed out the window to find that the dreary gray clouds had dispersed, allowing the sun to shine down on East City. The thing was, the sun was close to setting, pulling the orange and yellow hue of the sky along with it, and the tiniest star could even been seen. A few droplets of rain streaked down the window and then collected on the ground outside of Eastern Command.

_How long have I been asleep?_ I pondered. _I woke up early, found Elric and Al in the hallway talking to Hawkeye, got the news that Nina died._ I shuddered as that thought crossed my mind, but then I shook it off as I tried to remember what occurred. _The brothers went outside in the rain while I went back to my room to finish my paperwork..._

And that was all I could recall until I fell asleep at my desk finishing up my paperwork. Gazing back down at it, I noticed a small wet spot, smudging nearly four lines on the paper. Raising an eyebrow, I lifted it up in front of the light, and then I sighed, burying my face in my hands. Apparently, because I couldn't breathe through my nose, I had been drooling on my paper! All the work I had already put into it had gone to waste...

"If 'dis is lade, Mustang'll kill me for sure..." I mused, still unable to pronounce a single word correctly.

Grabbing a fresh piece of paper, I looked over the original one, and copied down the words. Some of the lines began to come back to my memory, so I was able to write them down without looking at the original paper. About an hour passed and I was finished. I sighed with relief as I set my pen down on the table and slouched back in the wooden chair. Removing my cap I ran a hand through my sweaty black hair.

After a moment of rest, I gathered the papers, looked over them a few times and placed them in the orange folder. Afterwards, I stood up and stretched my aching limbs, popping my spine and releasing it from the stiffness. Hey, when you've been sleeping for a while, bend over with your desk as a substitute pillow, your back feels as stiff as a board. Grabbing the folder, I turned around and walked out of the room.

With the folder under my arm, I strode down the hallway and to the Colonel's office. I couldn't remember when this paper work was due, but I sure was relieved that I finished it. Completing your paperwork was like the weight of the world being lifted off your shoulders. That, and since I wasn't feeling well, I deserved a day of relaxation. As soon as I reached Mustang's office, I heard faint chatter from the other side. Hopefully he wasn't in a meeting, but I took the chance anyway and knocked on the door.

The room on the other side fell silent, and after a while, the Colonel's deep voice boomed from the other side: "Come in."

With permission to enter, I turned the knob. "Sorry, If I'm interrupting anything Colonel," I spoke, pushing the door open. "I just got the paperwork done and-"

I paused as I lifted my eyes up from the folder in my hand and gazed around the room. There was definitely more than Mustang in the room. Lieutenant Hawkeye was present as well as Hughes and Havoc and even Major Armstrong. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity as I glanced from each of them, hoping in deed that I hadn't interrupted an important meeting being held. If I did, boy was I going to get a scolding from Mustang.

"Hey, Russo," a voice piped up.

Glancing over in the direction of the voice, I tried to locate its owner. Hughes and Armstrong stepped to the side, to reveal the owner of the voice. I wasn't surprised when my eyes landed on none other than the Fullmetal Alchemist, but what caught me off guard was that he wasn't wearing his red coat from earlier; instead, it was his black tank-top, which had been torn at the right strap.

He turned to face me, and rubbed the back of his head with his left hand, smiling sheepishly. "What brings you here?"

That was when I was caught off guard, and the orange folder I was carrying slipped out of my hands, landing on the floor; however, I only continued to stare dumbstruck at Edward and his brother, who sat on the floor beside him. Edward was missing an arm! It wasn't a stub or anything. The entire joint at the shoulder was completely gone! As I shot a quick glance at his younger brother, I found that nearly half of his armor had been torn off. Hopefully _he_ was still safe inside.

I couldn't keep my eyes off of the blonde's missing arm. Did he and his brother get into a fight with a pack of wolves or sharks? Just imaging all the blood that he must've lost began to make my stomach churn as I tried to keep down anything from coming up. I hadn't eaten anything all day, but I sure felt like hurling something up at the thought of blood gushing out from his arm socket.

One would think it was an oxymoron to be a soldier and become sick or faint from the sight of blood. Well, I sure could _not_ stand the sight of blood. Wounds, scars, and scabs I could handle, no matter the size; but, just the mere sight of blood oozing from a gaping wound always put me on the edge of unconsciousness. I wasn't even sure what to say at the moment. I only continued to stare at Edward, as the awkward silence lingered in the room.

Finally, I managed, with much difficulty, to raise a trembling finger, gesturing to Edward's missing limb. "Y-y-your... y-your a-arm... i-it's g-...gone..."

The blonde alchemist glanced over at his armless side, and then shrugged. "It's a long story..."

As much as I had enough time to listen, I only continued to stare at Edward, and then to his brother. Alphonse was all right wasn't he? The thoughts of the blood he, or probably both of them, lost continued to fill my mind as I glanced from the two of them. I opened my mouth a few times to say something, but I couldn't force my voice to utter a simple squeak. My eyes remained on the blonde's armless side, as my head began throbbing.

"You okay, Tremor?" Mustang inquired.

His voiced sounded like it was coming all the way from Ishvaal, and the room began spinning. I staggered, but placed my hand on the doorframe for support. I could hear them saying my name over and over, but now it sounded like they were halfway across the country. Eventually, I lost my balance as a cloud of black shadowed over my vision.

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**NOTE: Yes, I edited the last part of Dani's flashback.**

**Ooooooooohhhh... Now, how's Ed gonna tell her? And will Dani be able to listen without passing out from thinking about blood.**

**Anywayz, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, even though it was a shortie ^-^; and I apologize once again for being over a month late...**

**Rate and Review guys!**


	5. Ashes to Ashes

**Well, now that schools nearly over, I have more time, and motivation to write :D! YAYZ! Just two more weeks and I'll be free for a whole three months! *grabs sunglasses* time to soak up some rays.**

**Anywho… *tosses glasses to side* Right now, it's time for the next chapter of "Fire and Ice" Sorry about the mini-cliffie during the last chapter you guys ^^; but, I didn't know what else to put. Besides, if any of you guys read my first fic "Fitting In" you know how much I love teasing you all with cliff hangers!**

**Oh, and if you guys are wondering why I'm posting a fic that was updated, like, 5 days ago... It's because I have been lazy with updating this story -_-. End of years school stuff has been getting in the way.**

**Well, on with the chapter! AND! If you haven't checked out my drawings for "Fitting In" or "Fire and Ice" check 'em out on my DeviantART page (link on my profile).**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or anything FMA-related. Except for my super awesome OC, Dani! :D**

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**Chapter V: **_**Ashes to Ashes**_

My head began throbbing with pain as if a tiny pest (specifically Edward) crawled into my skull and began thrashing around with a giant mallet. I groaned in pain as I held my pounding head, while slowly sitting up. Moving my fingers in a circular motion, I massaged my temples until the irritating pain decided to subside. Once i knew for sure that it was gone, I opened my eyes to find myself in a bed in a room. After taking a few notes of my surroundings, I realized that it was _my_ room.

_How long have I been out?_ I pondered, quickly jerking my head over to the small alarm clock.

Taking it off the night stand, I squinted my eyes in the dim light in order to make out what numbers the tiny arms rested on. **8:45am.** I rubbed my eyes with my free hand, just to make sure I wasn't mistaken myself. Nope. It was that late. Normally, I wasn't much of a morning person; but if there was one thing that I knew for being in the military for over a year, is that you always had to be up a little after the crack of dawn. I was surprised that neither Mustang, nor the Elrics, had knocked on my door yet.

Instantly after that, I set the clock back on the side table and flung the covers off of me; however, before I had the chance to jump out of bed, I noticed that I wasn't in my pajamas, I was in my normal clothes! I sure didn't remember going to bed dressed in my jeans, or my jacket for that matter. Raising an eyebrow, I slowly moved my hand upward and felt around the top of my head. Yes, my suspicions were right. My hat was there.

_Had I really gone to sleep dressed like this?_ I wondered. _Come to think of it, I don't remember falling asleep at all..._

I glanced around the room, trying to piece together my memory, or at least what I could remember; however, my memory was foggy, and all that I could remember was walking into the Colonel's office to drop off my paperwork, and that was it. Nothing more.

Taking in a deep breath, I sighed. "Well, I may not remember, but at least my sinuses are cleared up a little..."

After that, I slid out of bed and pulled out a fresh pair of clothes. Hey, I wasn't sure how long I had been asleep, so I had to stay on the safe side. After picking out my clothes for the day, a white T-shirt and a pair of baggy pants, I traveled into the restroom to clean myself up. One of the benefits of having a private bunker was your own shower. It wasn't that I didn't mind hanging out with the other soldiers, I just didn't want my secret spilled out. Hell, not even Hawkeye or Ross knew and _they_ were females. Once I finished my shower and slipped on my clothes, I made my way out of the room with one thing on my mind: Get some answers as to what happened to me.

As I strode down the hall, I noticed that it was rather empty, probably because everyone else was in their office or on some important mission. Of course, around this time of day, Edward and Al would be rushing up to join me on our way to the Colonel's office to report our findings to him or receive our next mission. I smirked and shook my head at the thought of the raven-haired man. That Colonel... as strict and serious as he was, he could be an idiot sometimes.

"Tremor," a deep voice called out from the other end of the hall.

_Speak of the devil,_ I thought as I came to a halt before standing straight up in salute.

"At ease, Tremor," Mustang spoke with that coy smile. "I was on my way to check up on you."

Tilting my head to the side, I stared up at the Colonel confused. "Because I overslept?" I inquired.

"That," he answered, "_and_ you took quite a nasty fall yesterday."

This only made me more puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"You don't remember?"

"Not entirely..."

The Colonel released a deep breath. "Well," he began, "yesterday evening, you came to my office to drop off some paperwork-"

All right, so I was right on the dot with _that_ memory. So, I _did_ finish my paperwork and travel to Mustang's office to drop it off. But... what about the rest?

"-Then, there was just some awkward silence as you stared at Fullmetal, and then you passed out, conking your head on the doorframe on your way to the floor."

I clenched my hand in a fist as his tone changed to amusement as he spoke that last part. _So, my pain and injury is __**amusing **__to you, Mustang?_ I thought. In a perfect world, there would be so many things I'd love to do to him. If he wasn't my superior, I'd drag him outside and beat him to a pulp in the concrete, and then transmute that concrete to liquid cement so that he would sink in; and the next day there would be nothing but a bulge in the ground where the concrete hardened over his body. Well, on the bright side, I found out what happened to me yesterday.

Then, I relaxed as a thought struck me. "Where are the Elrics anyway?"

"They left for the train station earlier this morning with Major Armstrong as their escort," Mustang answered. "They should be about halfway to Resembool about now."

Just at the mere thought of those two leaving East City sent a pang of irritation through my body. "Those two left _without_ me?"

"It was urgent," the Colonel answered calmly. "They should be back in a few days or so."

I sighed. "Well, thanks, Colonel."

Mustang nodded; and after that, he walked passed me and down the hall. I turned to face him as I watched his lean form shrink the further he traveled down the corridor. I still couldn't believe it. Al and Ed left without me? To Resembool of all places! That sure brought back a load of nostalgia. But, if I was assigned to the brothers, wouldn't I _have_ to go with them. Well, come to think of it, they probably didn't want to bring me along if I was severely injured, which I _wasn't._

"So, what am I supposed to do while they're gone?" I asked.

They Colonel shrugged nonchalantly, but kept walking. "Anything you like."

I groaned, as I turned around and walked in the opposite direction. To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure _what_ to do. I had already taken a shower, so what was the use of working out? Then again, there was practicing my alchemy. As I thought more on the subject, I realized that I hadn't had much time to practice since the Colonel took us to the Tucker Estate. Well, if I was ever going to pass Edward, I'd best get practicing. Of course, I would probably have to start from the basics and work my way upward. Time to go back to the old paper transmutation.

Turning around, I walked down the hall towards my room. On my way, I began to plan out my training. First would be the simple origami transmutation from paper, then I would work my way up from paper, to wood, to rock, and so on and so forth. They may have been my mistake back in Lior. I got to ahead of myself and didn't take it step by step. Even though I preferred a challenge, I had to face the fact that it would take time to be as good an Alchemist as the blonde. Hell, it would take ten times as long to be _better_.

"-in Resembool?" a voice echoed from down the hall.

"...good thing he left... trouble for the Elrics..." another voice spoke, but it was more difficult to make out what he was saying.

_Trouble for the Elrics?_ I repeated in my mind.

The first voice that spoke was the Colonel's; it was all too easy for me to identify. But, who were they talking about, and why was it good that he left? On the other hand, why would he –whoever _he_ was- cause trouble for Edward and Alphonse? I just had to get the info from this conversation, and I'd definitely track whoever he was down and send him packing eastward. Hell, I'd make sure he'd be so terrified he'd change his name and appearance and move out of the country! Nobody kicks Edward's ass better than I do!

As stealthily as I could, I crept down the hallway until I reached the source of the voices. It was Mustang's office, and the door was left open slightly ajar. I wasn't sure who else was in the room besides the Colonel, but from the collection of voices echoing from the room, there was definitely more than one. Trying my hardest not to make a sound, I slid sideways along the wall, until I was right beside the door.

"Yeah, Scar must've made his way here after his trip to Resembool," a voice spoke, which I quickly identified as the lieutenant colonel, Hughes.

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. Who was this 'Scar' person? More importantly, what did he want with the Elric brothers? As far as I knew, Edward and Alphonse were just some kids in the military, and Edward was lucky enough to get his certification as a State Alchemist. Of course, if this 'Scar' guy had already visited Resembool, it was definitely a good thing that he left, because the two brothers were already on their way there.

"Those boys would be in huge trouble if they had to face Scar again," Hughes continued.

_Again?_ I repeated in my mind. _So, they've come across 'Scar' before?_

"So," another voice spoke, it was Hawkeye this time, "Scar was in Resembool _before_ coming to East City?"

"Yes," Hughes answered. "I was just about to head out to inspect the crime scene. I didn't receive word of it until last night. But, apparently, Scar was sighted outside of Resembool on his way here. At the time, the townsfolk didn't know that he was a threat until they came across a farmhouse, located about half a mile southeast of Risembool."

At that moment, my eyes widened in shock, and a million thoughts began running through my mind. I couldn't walk, say, or do anything at that moment. I was shadowed in complete bewilderment! Even though I didn't want to hear any more of the conversation, I shook away the thoughts and stayed in my place by the door. First of all, Resembool was known to be isolated, so it was a shock for 'Scar' to be there. Besides, the little town was a sheep-farming region and had _tons_ of farmlands within and around it. Hughes could've been talking about any of the farm houses.

"Was anyone else living in the house or was it just the one victim?" Mustang inquired, in his typical calm demeanor.

Hughes sighed. "As far as the reports stated, there was only one person living there."

My body began trembling all over as I stared at the ground in complete shock. No matter how many times I tried to counter my theory with logic, Hughes's voice response kept ringing in my head. In fact, the mix of voices and thoughts was so overwhelming that my headache came unwillingly back to me, causing another dizzy spell.

"Tremor!" a voice called out from in front of me, while I was shook roughly back and forth.

I jerked my head up to find that I was sitting on the floor and my back was propped up against the wall. Had I passed out again? Rubbing the back of my head with my hand, I glanced up to find the colonel kneeling down in front of me with his hands grasped tightly on my shoulders. Riza Hawkeye was kneeling beside him on his right, while Hughes was on his left. I blinked as I stared at the three of them.

Of course, it was the Colonel to speak first. "Are you all right, Tremor?"

"I guess so..." I answered.

"What are you doing here anyway, Dani?" Hughes asked, while Mustang released me.

"I was..." I began, pausing to come up with a lie. "I was on my way back to my dorm..."

"Your dorm room is on the other side of the building," Hawkeye remarked blandly.

Damn, she was quick!

Stammering, I glanced away from them. Crap, they were onto me. Nothing could escape Riza Hawkeye that was for sure. She may have been Mustang's right hand man... er, woman; but she was the one with the common sense. It was difficult to lie to the three of them, especially Hughes; but I had to weasel my way out of the situation somehow.

"Uh... shortcut?" I suggested with a sheepish smile.

Then, the colonel's eyes narrowed as his gaze turned into an stern, and rather intimidating, look. I swallowed hard as I glanced at him. Man, this guy sure had one hell of a stern glare. True, it was difficult for me to glance away from his piercing black orbs, which were hovering inches or so away from my green ones.

"How much did you hear?" Mustang inquired with a deathly serious tone.

There was no getting out of this one. Releasing a deep breath, I hung my head slightly. "I... heard enough."

The colonel hummed in thought, and then he offered a hand to help me stand up. As fear stricken as I was from his death-like glare, I had to keep a calm composure and stay in character. Ignoring his gesture, I stood up and dusted myself off; and, afterwards, Mustang, Riza, and Hughes stood up as well.

"Well," the man with glasses spoke calmly. "You might want to get a move on-"

"Take me," I interrupted him.

Silence fell among the four of us; and even with my head hung facing the wooden floor, I could tell that all of their eyes were glued onto me. I could just imagine their confused glances as they gazed from one another. I didn't care. I just wanted to go with Hughes and whoever else was going to investigate the crime scene.

"Daniel," Hawkeye spoke in her usual calm tone. "This case doesn't concern you-"

"YES IT DOES!" I snapped, jerking my head up to face her. The three adults gazed down at me stunned, but I quickly regained my composure. "It's complicated to explain...

"We've got time," Hawkeye answered, in her usual monotone manner.

I sighed. "Let's just say I 'know some things' about the victim."

Mustang gazed down at my sternly, and then he crossed his arms in front of his chest. The two of us only stared at one another, and as unimportant to the case as they claimed me to be, I couldn't -no, I _wouldn't_- allow them to leave me here at East City while they went off on the train to Resembool. Edward and Al may be there already, but that wasn't the reason why I was determined to go.

"Hughes?" Mustang inquired, glancing over his shoulder at the man in glasses.

"I don't know, Dani," Hughes spoke, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "You probably shouldn't see-"

"Hughes," I spoke calmly as I gazed up at him. All fell silent once again, but I broke it after a while: "Please..."

The man glanced away unsure, and then he sighed. "All right."

A wave of hope came over me, but I kept a straight face. "Thank you."

"You might want to go pack some spare clothes," Hughes suggested. "We'll be spending the night there."

I nodded understandingly, and then the four of us separated. I made my way back to my dorm, while Mustang traveled into his office with Hughes and Hawkeye in tow. I had to get in on this case no matter what. As much as it pained me, I had to confirm my suspicions whether they were correct or not. If I was wrong, I would've wasted an entire day that I could've been practicing alchemy or my combat moves. But, if my suspicions were right... I wasn't sure what I would do.

**~ . . * . . ~**

The entire train ride from the city to the rural countryside was a long one filling me with anxiety. While Hughes and the rest of the investigation crew conversed on the crime reports, I stared out the window of the train at the passing scenery. Millions of thoughts began racing around in my mind as I pondered over the situation, and even wondering if it was even a good idea to beg Hughes to take me with him... especially if my suspicions were right.

As soon as the train came to a slow stop in the station, the passengers, along with the investigation crew and I, filed orderly out of the cart. I made sure to stay by one of the soldier's sides, or at least keep an eye on their blue coat for fear of getting lost in the crowd, creating a replay of the incident in the Lior train station. Well, Edward wasn't here to tease me about getting distracted and becoming lost.

Eventually, we made it out of the crowd and out of the station. As soon as I stepped outside, I gazed around the evening scene of the vast country side. There were numerous fields stretching far and wide, filled with livestock or crops, and of course the country homes. In the main part of Resembool, there were more houses and buildings that, as much as I could remember were used for trading centers.

There was a parked military vehicle just outside the station, which I presumed was for the four of us, and we all climbed into the vehicle. As soon as the four of us were situated in our seats, the driver started the vehicle and traveled down the dusty, rural road. For the entire trip from East City, I hadn't spoken a word to any of the men. I wasn't in the mood for talking, especially when so much was on my mind at the moment.

"We'll be staying at an inn nearby town," Hughes spoke breaking the silence. "At 0800 tomorrow morning we'll regroup, grab a quick breakfast, and then head out to investigate the crime scene."

The other two men grunted and nodded in agreement.

"Dani?" Hughes voice spoke out.

I jerked my head up startled, and then I glanced around at the men, who only stared at me. "Y-yeah. Understood."

"So, he speaks," a man with spiky brunette hair spoke.

"For a minute there, kid, we thought you were mute," the second man, who had short, auburn hair, added.

I gritted my teeth together and balled my hands into fists. He crossed _that_ line. Nobody calls me "kid" and gets away with it. Boy, if I wasn't in a vehicle or distracted by a million thoughts, I'd make him eat those words!

"Sorry, to burst your bubble," I sneered sarcastically, "but, I'm not."

"Take it easy," the auburn-haired man spoke, holding his hands up in defense.

Ignoring him, I rested my elbow on the window sill with my head resting against my hand. I wasn't in the mood for talking to anyone, not even Hughes. I just wanted to get the night over with, and skip to the investigation so that I could confirm my suspicion.

It wasn't until nightfall until the vehicle rolled to a complete stop in front of a shabby, wooden inn. Hughes opened the door, and the four of us stepped out of the black military car one by one. The low murmur of a collection of voices echoed from the building; and when Hughes opened the door, I found that there were plenty of people, mostly tourists, sitting at the tables in the dining area downstairs.

While Hughes walked over to the front desk, a conversation between a couple sparked my interest. Even though eavesdropping had gotten me in trouble one time, I couldn't help myself but listen in on this one.

"I heard that some foreigner murdered her in that old house," the man spoke.

"How foreign was he?" the woman asked. "Was he Xingese?"

"I'm not sure where he's from," answered the man. "but, they said he was a bit shady."

"That poor woman," the female remarked with a sigh. "After her husband died, and then her d-"

"Dani," Hughes voice called out, snapping me out of my reverie.

I jerked my head over to him startled, and then I glanced back over at the couple, who had already begun a new conversation. Sighing, I strode over to three men and followed them up the stairs to the wide hallways lined with many rooms. Even though I didn't catch on to the last part of what the woman was saying, I knew exactly what she was going to say. However, I shook it off and followed the men, who then separated into their individual rooms.

I stood in the middle of the hallway confused as to where I was staying, but the Hughes's voice broke through my thoughts: "Dani, you're with me tonight."

"Huh?" I asked, turning to him.

"They said that minors are to be accompanied by a guardian," the man answered simply.

Another pang of irritation zapped through my body. In less than an hour I've been called a kid twice. That's a new record. Of course, I would be sure that it would stay that way.

"Great," I muttered sarcastically.

"Don't worry," Hughes spoke with that calm smile. "It's got two beds."

Well, that wasn't what I was worked up about, but I followed the lieutenant colonel into the small room. While Hughes traveled to the bathroom to change into his night clothes, I sat on the edge of the bed and hung my head deep in thought. I was miles away from East City, and now I was in Resembool with the Investigation Team from Central. I could remember the entire train ride the two men were asking Hughes why I had to tag along, but I wasn't paying much attention to his answer. I was more focused on the situation at hand.

"Out of all the crime investigations, why would you be so persistent to be part of this one?" Hughes's gentle voice inquired from behind me.

I sighed, not wanting to turn around and look at him. "Just to test a suspicion."

"Want to share that 'suspicion'?" the lieutenant colonel asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside me.

"No," I answered.

Silence filled the room, and neither of us spoke a word. Since Maes Hughes was part of the Investigation Department in Central, digging up the dirt about something was his specialty. I wasn't going to allow him to dig up _this_ dirt. I was going to make sure it was sealed in a tight vault, buried deep underneath the ground and covered in concrete. Even though Hughes was the first soldier that I could trust with anything, my 'suspicion' was something I was unsure of myself, so what was the use of telling him if I was incorrect?

"So," the lieutenant colonel spoke up after a while. "How long do you think you can keep your secret?"

Right. Almost forgot that Hughes knew. In fact, he was the first soldier to figure out that I was a female. I wasn't sure how or when; but, I'll never forget that day when he invited me into his home because I was practically living on the streets of Central and had nowhere else to go. I was shocked to hear that he saw through my disguise. Of course, that was the benefit of Hughes discovering my secret. I mean, he was in the investigations department, so he had information on _all_ the top secret stuff that none of the regular soldiers knew about.

"As long as I can," I answered.

Hughes sighed, and gazed off into space. "You know, I worry about you sometimes, Danielle. I mean, you're put on dangerous missions with the Elric brothers, but you're still young. Were you even thinking about the risks you'd be taking by entering the military?"

"I didn't care then," I answered. "And, I don't care now either." I paused and focused my gaze on the wall. "Becoming an alchemist was one thing, but being 'somebody' was another. Regular alchemists are pretty renowned, but not as renowned as State Alchemists. If I couldn't be 'somebody' as a regular alchemist, I might as well try to be one as part of the State."

"You _are_ 'somebody', Danielle," Hughes spoke.

"No, I'm not!" I answered, standing up. "Back in Lior, everybody knew about Edward being the young prodigy. 'You're the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric!', 'I've heard sooooo many stories about you', blah blah blah. Of course, _nobody_ knew about _me_! The Tremor Alchemist!" I paused to relax, without tearing the room apart in pure rage. "Of course, they didn't care. Nobody cares about someone who was lucky enough to get into the military and pass the exam on the third try." I paused once more, as my voice began to choke up. "Not even my own mother would've cared..."

"Now, Danielle, you know that's not true-"

"Yes, it _is_ true!" I hollered, spinning around to face him. "She _never_ cared about what I did! She was _never_ there to support me, especially after my father…"

I trialed off as the words had raced through my mind and out of my lips; however, the rest of my sentence became jammed in my throat. As soon as I felt the hot tears prick the back of my eyelids, I spun around with my back to the Lieutenant Colonel as I blinked furiously trying my hardest to banish them away.

"Danielle…?" Hughes spoke up after a moment of silence.

"I could care less about her anyway," I began, in a low tone. "She didn't care, so why should I? No matter what I did, no matter how many times I tried to please her, she would always shut me out."

"I'm sure your mother cared about you very much, Danielle," Hughes spoke, calmly. "After all, with your dad in the war, she had to take care of all the housework, plus take care of you."

I only scoffed. "She sure did one hell of a job 'taking care of' me."

The Lieutenant Colonel only sighed. "Well, let's hit the hay, Dani. We've got tons to do tomorrow."

I nodded my head understandingly. Grabbed my spare tank top and sweat pants, I traveled into the bathroom to change. Once I was finished, I packed my dirty laundry away, leaving my jacket and hat resting on the edge of the bed. As soon as I crawled into bed, Hughes and I exchanged out good-nights before he flipped off the light, sending the room into a complete darkness. I stayed awaked for a while, staring into space, but eventually, my eyes began to sag, and I quickly fell into a deep sleep.

**~ . . * . . ~**

I couldn't believe it. No matter how many times I shook my head or rubbed my eyes, I still found myself standing beside the three men from the Investigations Department, staring at a small white farmhouse with flower beds decorating the front. Hughes was right. The farmland was huge. The garden was still filled with growing crops, and the orchard out back stood tall along with a grand oak tree with a swing hanging from one of its sturdy branches.

My eyes were wide as I continued to gape at the quaint, little farm house planted by the dusty road. I continued to stare taken aback as nostalgia filled up inside me, but then I realized that Hughes and the other two men were already halfway up the staircase on the porch and making their way to the door. I sure didn't want to look stupid just standing around and staring, so I quickly darted up the pathway to the little house.

As Hughes pushed the wooden door, which creaked upon opening, my eyes widened even more at the interior decor. The furniture was tarnished and flipped over, while pottery shards were scattered on the ground along with a few photographs, which used to adorn the pale green walls. There were definitely signs of a struggle, so the victim was definitely trying to get away from this 'Scar' guy. Of course, because of the reports, the victim didn't make it out alive.

While the three men explored different sections of the home, I wandered around each corner, taking in each scene with furniture and items scattered across the room. There were knives scattered on the counter in the kitchen, so the victim obviously tried to fight back with a weapon of some kind. I sighed as I glanced around the gloomy, desolate home, but I continued to wander deeper.

As I traveled down the hallway, a door cracked open ajar caught my attention. I stood there in the hallway and scanned the other rooms, where the doors were wide open. It wasn't much out of the ordinary, but something just seemed off about it. I cautiously moved towards the door, and my hand began trembling as I grabbed the knob and slowly pushed the door open. I peered inside the dimly lit room; however, it only took a moment's glance at the floor to send me screaming, while slamming the door. Placing my hands over my mouth, I back up until my back was flat against the cold wall. I panted while my heart thudded away in my chest at the horror I just witnessed.

"Dani!" Hughes called out, hurrying over to me with the other two men in tow. "What's wrong?"

I couldn't speak. As much as I tried to, my body was so fear stricken at the brief image that remained glued in my mind. I could only lift a shaking arm, pointing at the room in front of me. The three men didn't need words to understand what I was trying to tell them. Hughes nodded to the two men, who then opened the door and stepped into the room leaving the door wide open. As much as I wanted to look away, my eyes remained glued to the interior of the room.

Blood. Everywhere. There were drips and stains on the hardwood floor, a few spots on the walls, and there were even bloodied handprints on the bed covering. One thing that caught my attention were small spots of blood leading to the window, which was open, allowing the chilling, morning breeze to flow into the wrecked bedroom, fluttering a torn curtain allowing the thin shreds to flow in the breeze. All that was missing was the body the blood had leaked from.

Hughes took one quick scan over the room and then nodded to the other men of the Investigation Team. Obediently, the soldiers strode into the room, surveying the area and made notes of the scenario, and the objects around that would solve the mystery to brutal assault. Hughes remained by my side as the two of us gazed into the room. So, my suspicion was correct. No matter how many times I denied it, the bloodied room told me otherwise. However… there was still one clue missing.

As I began to search through my brain for an answer, my stomach began churning as the mere scene of dark red splattered in different places. My legs began to feel like wobbly jelly as the room began to spin around me and swirl in different directions.

"Dani," Hughes spoke gently, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I shook my head slightly and glanced up at him, my mind still swirling. We shared a few moments for silence before the raven-haired moved his hand to my back and steered me away from the room. I gazed into the room for one more moment before turning my attention down the hall and took a few wobbly steps forward.

As soon as the Lieutenant Colonel and I entered the living room, I flopped down on the cushy beige sofa with on leg propped up on the arm of the chair, and the other hanging off the side onto the floor.

I stared up at the ceiling waiting for my head to stop throbbing and spinning, while trying not to throw up all at the same time. Groaning, I grabbed the couch pillow and placed it over my face, hoping that it would relieve _some_ of dizziness.

As the motion sickness began to subside, I lay there in silence, listening to the Lieutenant Colonel's heave boots clomp across the wooden floor, until they came to a halt. A few moments passed before the man's smooth, but rather stern, voice broke through the silence:

"This is _your_ home?" he inquired, somewhat surprised.

Lifting up the pillow slightly, I glanced over at the man, while his widened hazel eyes locked onto mine.

As soon as I took notice of the picture frame in his hand, I sighed and looked away. "Yeah." Then, I placed the pillow back over my face and muttered into it: "Although I wouldn't call it 'home'."

"So, you _lied_ to me," Hughes spoke more sternly.

"Huh?" I inquired, turning my head and looking up at the Lieutenant Colonel from underneath the pillow, only to find that his once shocked countenance had turned into a look of disapproval.

"Back when you first came to Central," Hughes began, "you said that your mother was dead."

"I had to!" I snapped, tossing the pillow onto the floor. Then I quickly sat up straight on the sofa. "If I told you the _truth_ you'd send my ass back to this dump!"

"Did you ever stop to think what would happen if _I_ was accused of _kidnapping_?"

I opened my mouth to retort, but arguing with a superior officer wasn't going to do me any good, so I just hung my head. "I'm sorry, all right..."

"Well, it's not like we can do anything about it now…" the lieutenant colonel sighed and, after setting the picture on the mantle, he strode over to me. "When you're part of the military," he added, sitting on the couch beside me. "Things like this happen. I'll have the team look more into the crime and figure out if your mother was killed or not. Either way, it's not safe with that serial around."

I nodded understandingly, but I refused to say a word or look up at him. So many deaths had occurred in my life; the deaths of loved ones and people I was close to. And it wasn't just me. I'm sure other families have lost their loved ones in this war and all this other slaughter going on. I sighed. Nothing could change this now. I couldn't do anything to help my father, I couldn't help Nina, and I couldn't even help my mother. Mustang's words began echoing in my head, and boy, was he right.

**~ . . * . . ~**

A day had passed since the crime scene investigation. Hughes had called Central Command saying that he would be a few days late. The Investigations Team had already sent in their findings and was on their way back to Central City, while Hughes and I remained in the small country town.

Even though it was unclear whether or not my mother survived the brutal attack a few nights before; nonetheless, with all the blood she must've lost, I doubted that she made it through the night. Someone would find my mother's body eventually.

As I packed my suitcase, ready to leave this wasteland known as Resembool, Hughes suggested that we might as well give my mother a proper makeshift funeral, considering the fact that I might be away traveling when they held the actual one. As opposed as I was to attending a faux funeral, especially for someone I could care half as much about, I reluctantly agreed. The Lieutenant Colonel wasn't going to take "no" for an answer anyway.

After making arrangements, I found myself that afternoon standing in the Risembool Cemetery with Hughes. The two of us stood in front of the makeshift gravestone that I put together using alchemy, transmuting the engraving on the front: **Elaine Russo, **of course with her birth date and death date etched underneath. Even though her body wasn't in a coffin buried deep within the ground at the moment, it was only customary for her headstone to be marked where she would be buried.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Danielle?" Hughes asked as I finished etching a matrix around the piles of stone.

I only shrugged. "Might as well get this over with while we're here…"

Hughes hummed thoughtfully as I stood up beside him, staring down at my creation. Silence filled the air between us as a gentle wisp of the afternoon breeze kicked up, causing the tall blades of grass bend and sway in their motion.

I continued to stand in front of the gravestone with my eyes fixed on the engraving. For years, all I could think about was escaping the stress of life and living on my own. Now, I really _was_ on my own. My father long gone, and my mother's body soon to be found in the same state.

I recalled one time wishing that my mother actually would drop dead. We were carrying out one of usual arguments, and… it just slipped out. That's what ended that quarrel. What I said to her. I could still picture the shock in her copper eyes, even though her face was still scrunched into a scowl.

Was I finally getting my wish?

If I was told that my mother had in some way 'dropped dead' after that moment, I'd be ecstatic. Hell, I would've thrown a party! Now that it actually has happened… now that I was finally standing in front of her tombstone… I didn't know what to think. My chest tightened as hot tears pricked the back of my eyes.

Was this regret? Who knew?

I was finally acquiring what I've dreamed of. Independence. Why wasn't I cheering for joy? After all the hardships I had gone through growing up, I should feel like the weight of the world was slipping off my shoulders. I wasn't feeling that way. In fact, I felt like even _more_ weight was piling on me.

Nothing made sense anymore

"Are you coming, Dani?" the Lieutenant Colonel's voice broke through my thoughts.

Quickly changing my solemn face and regaining my composure, I glanced over to find the soldier a few meters away, halted by the trail. "Yeah. Just give me a few minutes," I answered.

The Lieutenant Colonel nodded understandingly. "The hotel is not far from here, so you can walk if you want. Just be careful."

I nodded, and then Hughes traveled down the hill. I watched as his figure began to shrink the further he strode down the dirt road. Before he disappeared completely Hughes stopped and glanced over his shoulder at me. I forced a smile on my face, even though I was sure he could barely see it, and waved to him. He smiled and waved back, until he disappeared down the road. Afterwards, I released a heavy sigh and turned my attention toward the grave.

"Hey, Mom," I spoke softly, sitting on my knees in front of the stone. "You may not be under there now, but you will be eventually. Listen," I paused to put my words together carefully. "I... I know we never got along much, even after dad..." I trailed off at the thought, but blinked away the hot tears that forced their way into my eyes. "Anyway, I just don't know what to think of anymore. I mean, our relationship got worse day by day, and, well, yeah I don't care much," I glanced away, rubbing my arm with my hand, but then shook my head realizing what I had said. "I mean… I didn't care _then_ I…"

I paused once more. Why was this so difficult? It's not like I was saying this to her face, so why should it be so tough to say 'I'm sorry'? Was it guilt? Stupid conscience…

Taking a few more deep breaths, I collected my thoughts together before beginning again: "It's my fault this happened. If I hadn't joined the military -hell, if I hadn't even learned alchemy!- You'd still be alive. But," I sighed. "That was my choice. And I have to deal with these consequences." I stared down at ground for a while, and then I gently placed my hand on the smooth gravestone. "Mom," I continued hanging my head as I felt a tear streak down my face. "I… I… I'm…"

"You know, you shouldn't cry for loved ones who passed away," a young male voice spoke from above me. "If you do, it makes them feel sad in the next world."

Startled, I jerked my head up to find none other than Edward Elric looming above me. In his hand he held a bouquet of flowers, and beside him stood a small black dog with a prostatic metal limb. Great, so Edward noticed my sensitive side. This is embarrassing… As soon as we'd get back to East City, there would be loads of taunting and teasing coming from him. I could just imagine it now: 'Looks like the rough and tough rock alchemy specialist is a big softy!" or, "You should specialize in _gold_ alchemy because it's the softest mineral!" I'd just have to practice learning to deal with it because this was how it was going to be for as long as I knew Ed.

I glared up at him. "What do _you_ want, Elric?"

He only smirked. "Hello to you, too."

Rolling my eyes at him, I turned my attention back to the gravestone in front of me. I had gone through hell for the past few days. The last thing I needed was the oldest Elric brother giving me more hell than I could handle.

Edward sighed, and then he knelt down on one knee beside me. "Hughes told me what happened."

Even though there was sincere sympathy in his voice, I just shrugged nonchalantly. "Thanks. It's not really that big a deal anymore. My mom and I... Well, we weren't the best of friends."

"Oh, really?" Edward inquired.

"Yeah," I answered. "It's a long story."

"I've got time."

"Well, why don't you go make good use of it?"

"I am."

Edward paused for a minute, and I turned to him, still scowling, Edward had his golden eyes focused on mine. However, he didn't have that light, playful teasing look in those eyes; in fact, it was a deeper, piercing look that seemed to see into my soul. Needless to say, it was rather frightening.

"You know some stuff about me, so it's only fair that I know some stuff about you," the blonde began again. "Equivalent Exchange."

I sighed and rolled my eyes at him. "Yeah, but I didn't hound you to tell me about your life story. I just found out some stuff about you through word on the street, and some tidbits from Al."

"Well, you never tell anyone anything about yourself," Edward countered. "So, technically I won't be able to learn about you from someone else."

There was no chance of me getting rid of him so I could mourn in peace. "Well, if it'll get you off my back," I began, "I might as well tell you how it started..."

* * *

**Yeah, yeah... Before you even start, this is another cliffie. Why? Because 1). I'm already at 7k words and 2). It's late...**

**Let me tell you guys this... I'm not a huge fan of dark, gloomy stories/movies, so it was hard writing this chapter. But, I found my motivation to write it, and I hoped it turned out good and set the mood for the chapter ;)**

**Thanks so much for the reviews this week, and I'm hoping that the next few weeks won't be hell so I can update more frequently.**

**Love you guys!**

**Rate and review please!**


	6. How It All Began

**Heloo Againz~! ^^**

**All right, I gotta say once again, I apologize if the previous chapter was a little dark... Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of dark-genres, so it was difficult trying to write/describe that scene. Of course, that was the last chapter, so now its time to move on to this one! :D**

**NOTE: I just want to say that this entire chapter is a Flashback. I'm telling you this in advanced just so you won't get confused...**

**REMEMBER! :**

**~ . . * . . ~ = Scene Change/Time Lapse**

**... = flashback beginning/end (and whenever there are **_**italics**_** in the flashback, the character of the flashback is narrating it)**

**Anyway, hope you like this chapter you guys!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist the original series or Brotherhood. All I own is Dani, and a few pennies that I left in my pants pocket and decided to fall out in the wash...**

**Chapter VI: **_**How It All Began...**_

* * *

_**...**_

**Dani: Age 4**

_**...**_

The glowing sun hung in the clear sky that crisp, autumn afternoon. The trees in the orchard were beginning to change from their lush green color, to red and orange hues. The leaves collected together on the ground, scattering themselves across the yard every time the slightest breeze flowed. The garden was filled with plump pumpkins and squash, almost ready for harvest; and the crows cawed at the stuffed scarecrow that hung in the midst of the cornfield.

I sat at the dining room table, munching happily on my sandwich, while my mother scrubbed the dishes in the kitchen. The house was filled with silence, the only sound reverberating through the halls were the rushing water from the faucet and the clanking of dishes as my mother scrubbed them with the sponge.

As soon as I was finished with my snack, I hopped down from the chair, grabbing my plate along the way, and then I traveled into the kitchen. "I'm done, Mommy," I cheered, holding up the plate to her.

My mother turned to me, and then frowned at the leftover bits on my plate. "Danielle, you ate everything but the crust."

"I don't like the crust," I answered, innocently.

Sighing, my mother took the plate from me. "Well, we'll just feed it to the birds."

I smiled and nodded. "Birds have to eat to."

Of course, I was expecting my mother to laugh at my little joke; however, she didn't even release the slightest chuckle, nor crack a smile. She only kept her eyes focused on scrubbing the dish. I continued to stare up at her, still waiting for her to smile, and while growing impatient, I twisted my body from side to side. After a few moments, however, the smile I wanted to see never came, and I frowned.

"Mommy?" I began slowly.

"You can go play outside, Danielle," she answered, turning off the faucet.

Even though that wasn't what I was going to ask her, I nodded, taking up the offer. Turning around, I strode through the kitchen and then to the front door.

_For as long as I could remember, my mother rarely smiled. It occurred more often whenever my father was home; of course, because he was in Ishvaal most of the year, my mother cracking the slightest grin was a rare occasion. I would try to be silly sometimes just to cheer her up, but she ignored the kind gesture, and actually would scold me for behaving childish. We were complete opposites. I saw the glass half full, while she saw it half empty._

As I stood on the wooden porch, I gazed out at the orchards and plantations across the dirt road; and once I caught sight of the leaves scattered across the ground, my face brightened and I descended the staircase. As soon as I reached the bottom, I raced around the house and to the back yard. I grabbed a handful of leaves and tossed them in the air cheering, as I ran around in the "raining" leaves. Afterwards, I grabbed handful after handful and constructed a large pile of leaves, and then jumped in, crunching them underneath me.

Nothing made me happier than playing outside during in such nice weather. I never could pick which season was my favorite. I always played outside nonetheless. Playing out by the lake in the summer, jumping in the leaves during the autumn, building snowmen and dashing around in the snow during the winter, and frolicking with the butterflies and collecting clumps of flowers during the springtime, that was made every season a new adventure.

I giggled as I rolled around in the leaves, and then I lay on my back, gazing up at the thick, puffy clouds flowing across the pale blue sky. Lacing my fingers behind my head, I stared up at the clouds, imagining the forms they transformed into as they rolled along the sky. One cloud suddenly formed into what I claimed to be a butterfly, which soon brought back memories of that mid-summer evening, causing my smile to fade into a frown.

My father came home and was supposed to stay for a week; however, he was called back into Ishvaal for war only two days afterwards! Sighing, I sat up in the pile of leaves and glanced over at the grand oak tree, which was half naked, due to the colorful array of leaves at its roots.

Curving a strand of short, blonde hair behind my ear, I stood up at strode over to the tree, taking a seat on the wooden swing, held suspended in the air by two ropes tied on the thick, overhanging branch. I rocked my body back and forth trying to force the swing into the air, but no luck. Sighing again, I hung my head, staring at the grass beneath my feet. My father would usually push me in the swing whenever he was home; in fact, he constructed the swing the day before he was called into war. I was only two-years-old at the time, so I would usually sit on the swing and stare out at the fields, observing my mother at her daily chores.

I wanted to swing on my own! I wanted to show Daddy when he got home! Closing my eyes, I pictured his warm smile on his lips as he held me in his arms, saying soothing things to me like: 'Good job, Danielle. I'm so proud of you!'. Of course, I wasn't sure when that dream would become a reality. When my father left for war the first time, he was gone for two years until he came back, which was that summer.

The longer I sat on the flat, wooden plank, the more impatient I grew at not swinging on my own. Out of irritation, I kicked my legs into the air and pulled them back. Much to my surprise, the swing reeled back and then pushed itself forward. I gazed around me, wondering if some unseen force had pushed me, and then I kicked my legs again, which caused the swing to move back and forth once again.

A smile crossed my face as I began to pump my legs back in forth, and I laughed out of triumphant joy as the swing scaled higher into the sky. Relaxing my legs for a bit, I closed my eyes, smiling at the cool breeze flowing through my hair as the wooden swing swept back and forth in its place. As I opened my eyes, I noticed my mother in the window to the dining room, dusting the corners and furniture.

I waited a moment for the swing to slow down, and then I extended my legs out letting my shoes scrape against the dirt beneath me. Then, I hopped off the swing and raced over to the small farmhouse. On my way to the front door, I heard the sound of metal clank and then click shut, and then I wandered around to find that the mailbox flag had been pushed down. Tilting my head in confusion, I strode over to it, and stood on my tip-toes pulling the lid down. To my surprise, the empty box of metal contained a few envelopes inside, so I reached in and grabbed them, wary not to drop any on the ground.

After closing the lid of the mailbox, I turned and maneuvered my way up the stairs on the porch and straight into the house. I stood on my tip-toes to turn the brass door knob, while trying to hold the envelopes in my free hand. I managed to twist the knob pushing the door open, abut nearly spilled the letters on the wooden floor on my way inside.

"Mommy!" I called out to her. "We got letters!"

After a few moments, my mother appeared from the kitchen, and strode over to me. I extended my arms out, handing her the envelopes, which she accepted. My mother then took a seat on the sofa and flipped through the letters one by one. Eventually, she came to a small, faded-yellow letter and tilted her head in puzzlement.

"What is it, Mommy?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"It's from your father," she answered.

My face lit up instantly, and I'm sure that the smile on my face would be stuck in place for a while. Racing across the living room, I climbed up on the couch beside my mother and peered over her arm as she unfolded the parchment. Her copper brown eyes scanned the handwritten text, while I only stared at it as if it were a foreign language. I would be starting school the next year, but I could only read just a few words.

"What's it say?" I asked.

My mother sighed. "You're father's going to be in Ishvaal a bit longer than last time."

"Oh," I answered in dismay, as I hung my head.

"But," my mother spoke up, "but, he says he'll write to us whenever he gets the chance."

I glanced up at her, and smiled; however, my mother had already looked away, and began organizing the envelopes on the table. My smile faded into a frown after that, knowing that I wasn't going to get a smile in return for her. I watched as my mother stood up and began to walk out of the room, when a thought struck me, making me realize my initial reason for coming into the house.

"I learned how to swing on my own, Mommy," I spoke.

"That's nice, Danielle," she answered, continuing her way into the kitchen and not even looking back at me.

_Even at __**that**__ age, I could tell that when my mother pretended to be impressed. Her tone used to easily fool me; but, the more I tried to impress her, the more her 'impressed' tone sounded robotic with the sincerity of a brick wall. I always tried to show her while she was working; however, she would only continue working, saying the same old: "That's nice, dear..." Not even giving me the slightest glance downward. Sometimes, she would turn her attention to me; but whenever __**that**__ happened, that was when her "support/encouragement level" was at its lowest, like the time when I picked her flowers from the flowerbed, which I trampled in the process... Sometimes, I felt as if she never really cared._

_**~ . . * . . ~**_

As soon as evening rolled in, I found myself sitting at the dining room table, poking as the seasoned, saucy plate of noodles. I stuck my lower lip out and groaned as I rested my head in my hand, while my elbow was set on the table, and I stirred my fork around in the noodles, which only coated them in that gooey red sauce.

"Danielle, how many times have I told you?" my mother spoke with a sigh. "Keep your elbows off the table."

Reluctantly, I obeyed, but I continued to stare down at the steaming bowl of saucy noodles.

"You're food's going to get cold," my mother warned, with a hint of threat in her tone.

"I don't like saucy stuff..." I murmured.

My mother only sighed. "Danielle, there's barely any sauce on it. It's just cheese and basil seasoning."

"It tastes funny."

"Danielle!"

Jerking my head up, I glanced up at my mother, only to slouch back, swallowing hard. Her typical, calm brown eyes were narrowed as she glared down at me, while her thin, blonde eyebrows furrowed, only making her gaze more piercing than it was before.

"Suck it up," she hissed. "Now, you eat your food or you go to bed hungry, understand?"

"Y-yes..." I murmured.

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, ma'am."

After that, I reluctantly picked up my fork and twirled it around in the 'sauce'-covered noodles. I stared at the food for a moment before sliding it into my mouth and then slowly chewing, the strong scent crawling at the back of my mouth. As soon as I swallowed, I took a huge gulp of water, freeing my mouth from the lingering after-taste. After a few more bites, though, my taste-buds grew used to the flavor, and I finished my supper a couple minutes after my mother.

**...**

**Dani: Age 6**

**...**

_The days turned into weeks, the weeks into months, and eventually the months into years... Every so often, my mother and I would receive a letter from my father, regarding the current state of the ravaged desert city of Ishvaal. It was typically the same thing every so often, how things were holding up, and how my father couldn't wait for the war to end and come home to us. In fact, my father even stated that once the war was over, he'd get a desk job in Central, and we would all move to the big city. As excited as I was about moving to the big city, I knew for a fact my mother would have the worst time adjusting it, since she was a full-fledged country girl at heart. Heck, the house we lived in belonged to her parents! It was no wonder why she was attached to this place._

_Both of my parents were against the entire concept of the war, and my father was reluctant to fight when he was called into battle. But, as a soldier, he had to honor his duty to the country, and the Fuhrer. Nevertheless, my mother and I still waited for the day that peace would finally be achieved, and, more importantly, my father would be home for good..._

The rain poured harshly that dreary, May afternoon. The crops and fields were being pelted by the watery bullets, and it was difficult to see through when glancing off into the distance. Harsh winds flowed through the trees, commanding them to bend in their direction; and a few leaves had surrendered to the downpour, fluttering in the wind until they were slammed against the window.

I sat at the kitchen table, occupying myself with the crayons scattered about. My tongue hung from the corner of my mouth as I studied the movements of the crayon, making sure that every shape was equal in size and length. Unlike a typical lop-sided drawing created by a toddler, I made sure that _my_ shapes were symmetrical in every way.

Once I was finished, I held up my picture, admiring it as well as checking for any mistakes or things I would like to add. It was a simple picture of my stick-figure family as we held hands beside our white farmhouse with the grand oak tree in the back and the swing dangling from its branch. I may not have been the best six-year-old artist in Resembool, but it was better than the "abstract" dog under the rainbow I had drawn the other day. I nodded in affirmation at my "artwork", and then I hopped down from the chair and raced through the living room.

"Momma! Momma!" I called out, racing around the house in search of my mother.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door; however, I ignored it, continuing my search for my mother. Soon, I found her traveling down the hall into the living room where I previously was.

"Mom, look!" I spoke, holding up the picture.

"Just a minute, Danielle," she answered calmly, striding over to the front door.

I stood where I was, and lowered my arms. I watched in curiosity as she opened the front door, revealing a tall man in a blue military uniform with a dark robe on. At first I thought it was my father, but as I glanced up at his face, I noted that this man was someone I did not know. He and my mother conversed for a few minutes, before handing my mother a golden piece of parchment.

My face lit up as I raced over to them. "Is it a letter from Dad?"

Neither my mother nor the man answered; instead, my mother wordlessly accepted the letter and scanned over the text. I gazed up at her waiting for her answer. Then, I noticed her eyes widen in shock, as she placed a hand over her mouth. This only raised my curiosity as I took a few steps closer to the two of them.

"Momma?" I asked softly.

The man gave a quick glance down at me, and then turned back to my mother. "I'm sorry." Was all he said before, tipping his cap and turning around, walking out the front door.

As he exited the house, shutting the door behind him, my gaze followed the soldier as his heavy boots clomped down the wooden staircase of the porch. Climbing onto the couch, I observed the soldier through the window as he made his way to a sleek, black car, holding his cloak closer to him, not wanting his uniform to become drenched. I had to squint my eyes as his figure turned into a blur within the downpour. The man, opened the door to a black military vehicle and slid inside. The lights on the front were lit, illuminating through the foggy rain as it drove down the dirt road and out of sight.

I blinked in confusion, and then I turned back to my mother, who had taken a seat in the armchair, for an answer as to why a soldier had appeared at our doorstep with a letter. Her eyes never left the piece of parchment in her slightly trembling hands, and I could've sworn I saw a few tears streak down her cheeks.

"Is it from Daddy?" I asked, walking up to her.

My mother was startled somewhat, and she glanced up at me unblinkingly for a while. "No," she answered, turning her attention to the piece of paper, "it's from the military..."

"Oh," I answered.

I stood there in my spot, unsure of what else to say. I shuffled my feet, hoping that my mother would speak up to break the awkward silence. Sadly, she never did, so I decided to peek over her arm, and try to decipher what the note said and why it upset my mother so much. There were a few notes on the golden parchment, with a large paragraph at the bottom.

"_It is with deep regret that I inform you that your husband, Benjamin Russo, has been reported K.I.A. ..."_

Halting half-way through the sentence, I raised an eyebrow in confusion. 'K.I.A.'? The word was practically alien to me. I continued to stare at the three-lettered word, trying to figure out what it could possibly mean.

Afterwards, I faced my mother. "Momma?"

"Hm?" she answered.

"What does 'kia' mean?"

_Of course, I had actually sounded out the word since I was too young to understand acronyms._

My mother gazed down at me confused and then blinked. "What?"

"Kia," I repeated.

"Where did you hear that?"

"It's right _there_."

With that, I pointed to the three-letter word on the parchment. My mother followed my gesture, and seemed to stare down at the letter for a few more moments. Of course, those moments felt like hours as I awaited her answer.

My mother released a deep breath. "It means... 'killed in action'."

"Killed... in action?" I repeated.

My mother only nodded in reply.

"Oh," I spoke.

Silence fell between us once again, while the only noise reverberating through the house was the sound of the pouring rain pounding on the room and against the windows. After a few moments, my mother stood up, still holding the letter in her hand. Not knowing what else to do, I followed her through the living room.

"Momma?" I asked, standing at the entrance of the hall. Once she stopped, I began again, "Are you sure it wasn't from Daddy?"

Yes, Danielle," she answered solemnly. "But, it was _about_ him."

My face brightened somewhat, and I glanced down at the picture of my stick-figure family I had drawn. "Is he coming home?"

My mother was silent as she stood in the hall with her back to me. Once again, I waited for her response, swaying from side to side and rocking back and forth on my heels from time to time.

"No," she answered. "Daddy's not coming home."

"Oh," I spoke glumly. "When _is_ he coming home?"

"He's _never_ coming back home, Danielle," my mother answered.

After that, she continued down the hall and to her room. I only stood there bewildered, as I tilted my head in confusion.

_At that age, I was too young to understand the concept of 'death', of course, my mother explained it to me about a year later. I was heartbroken at the time, and wouldn't go outside for months. Sometimes, I was in denial and found myself glancing out the window from time to time, waiting for that black military vehicle to roll down the road, and my father to exit from it. As days passed, however, that day never came..._

_**...**_

**Dani: Age 8**

_**...**_

I sat at the dining room table that morning, working on my schoolwork. Because we were far from the town of Risembool, I couldn't attend the school there, so my mother had to teach me. Plus, my father wasn't at home to negotiate with my mother about my education; of course, since he was never going to come back, I knew I'd never be able to attend a real school and make friends. I remembered when I was five-years-old I begged my mother to send me to school, and even offered the little change I had stored up in my piggy-bank so that we could move closer to Risembool. Of course, we remained in the same, shabby farmhouse that I had grown up in my entire childhood.

"Five plus three is eight..." I mused, scanning over my arithmetic problems. "Five plus four is nine... five _times_ four is twenty..."

"Alchemists? You have got to be kidding me..." my mother groaned from the living room.

I lifted my head up, entering the real world from the world of addition and subtraction, and I slid the chair back and walked out of the dining room. I found my mother sitting in the velvet armchair, gazing down at the newspaper in disbelief.

"What's wrong, Momma?" I asked.

She glanced up at me, and then back down at the paper. "Fuhrer Bradley is sending State Alchemists to wipe out the entire population of Ishvaal."

"So?" I asked nonchalantly.

My mother stared up at me as if I had started speaking in Xingese. "_So,_ instead of resolving their problems, they're just going to wipe everyone out."

"Well, hey, at least it'll end the war," I suggested with a shrug.

Sighing, my mother folded the paper and set it on the side table before standing up. Decided not to enter one of our usual arguments, she strode out of the room and into the kitchen. I stared after her, and sighed. Ever since my father died, my mother and I had become more estranged towards each other. Well, I was to her, and to me, that's how she seemed.

Glancing curiously down at the newspaper, I picked it up, I examined the front cover, which contained a black-and-white picture of columns of soldiers dressed in the usual uniform. I scanned over the text, not recognizing any of the names except for the Fuhrer's name.

That was when the word 'Alchemists' showed up a few times as I read. I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I read on, wanting to find out more about these 'Alchemists'. I had never heard the word before, but I recognized the Amestrian Dragon, the symbol for the State Military, which had been inscribed in a hexagram and printed on a silver pocket watch. I eyed the photograph closer, trying to delve more into the concept of 'Alchemists'. The mere thought intrigued me.

"Danielle," my mother's voice called out from the kitchen.

Snapping out of my reverie, I hastily folded up the newspaper and strode into the kitchen. "Yeah?"

"I'm going to work in the yard for a few hours," she answered. "When you're done with school, could you go into town and buy some milk? We're nearly out."

I sighed. "You know, why don't we get a barn and get our _own_ cows to make our _own_ milk?"

My mother narrowed her eyes as she turned around to me. "Because we don't have the time or money for all of _that_."

"All right..." I murmured, walking through the kitchen and into the dining room.

My mother said nothing more, as she walked out of the house, leaving me on my own with nothing but a few pencils and my work for the day. I never liked running errands much. With all the school work and chores I had to do around the house, there was never any free time at the end of the day that I could have all to myself. I sighed. None of that was going to change until I moved out of the house and rented my own place.

It took a couple of hours, but I finally finished my work that afternoon. Stacking my text books into the corner, I stood up from the chair and strode out of the room and out of the house. As soon as I stood on the wooden porch, I gazed up at the cloudless, blue sky, and sighed. Two years ago from today it was pouring rain, and my mother had received the sudden news of my father's death. I sighed, as I thought back on _that_ memory, and then I leaned over the railing, peering around the house at my mother who was hanging the clothes out to dry.

"I'm heading out, Mom," I called out to her.

"Okay," she answered, continuing her work and not even facing me. "Be sure to be home before sundown."

"All right," I answered.

With that, I descended the small staircase and strode down the trail to the main road. As I traveled in the direction of Risembool, I glanced over my shoulder at the little farmhouse; and then I sighed and faced the road ahead of me.

_Little did I know at that time, I was lucky that my mother told me to go into town. If I hadn't, my life __**would have**__ stayed the same, and I would've continued living my life on the short leash I was kept on. Because while in town, my life was changed from then on..._

**~ . . * . . ~**

The sun cast its warm rays on the plantations and fields that chilly, winter afternoon, but a few clouds decided to hover across the sky, blocking its view. I sat on the grass at the roots of the oak tree with a chopped log I had grabbed from our lumber storage. Using a stick, I traced a matrix in the dirt, making sure that each shape was perfectly proportional.

The first time I had constructed a transmutation circle, I tried to make a carving in a pumpkin during autumn. Of course, it rebounded, exploding the pumpkin from the inside, scattering seeds all over the ground, as well as on me. Now, I had more practice with the many matrixes.

Once the circle in the dirt was constructed, I hoisted the log up and dropped it in the center of the matrix. I scooted back a few steps and took a few deep breaths. Pulling the scrungie from my hair, I ran my fingers through my long, sweaty blonde locks, and then re-adjusted my pony tail. Then, I placed my hands on the edge of the circle, concentrating on what form I wanted the wood to take. I smiled to myself as a blue light outlined the circle and then a flash, blinding me for a second. It had kicked up some dust, but as soon as it cleared, a wooden carving of a horse replaced the log in the center of the circle.

I had already experimented with paper, but never with wood or anything else. This was a new milestone for me, and I just _had_ to show my mother my creation. Grabbing the wooden horse, I raced down the hill and towards the house.

My mother had already turned the corner of the house, carrying a basket of clothes. In fact, if I hadn't stopped in time, I would've run into her sending the clothes scattered across the ground. My mother stopped in place as she stared down at me confused.

"Momma, look," I spoke, holding out the wooden carving.

My mother's eyes widened as she stared awestruck at the wooden horse. "Danielle... it's beautiful."

My face brightened, knowing that I would finally receive the praise that I had desired for a long time. "You like it?"

"I love it," she answered with a smile. "Did you make this?"

I nodded, unable to stop smiling. "I made it using alchemy."

Silence fell between us, and I noticed that my mother's smile faded into a frown. "What?"

"I made it using alchemy," I repeated.

Suddenly, my mother dropped the basket of clothes, as she stared down at me in bewilderment. She was struck speechless, but I only stood there beaming with pride at my new creation.

"When?" my mother asked, dropping her tone into a more deathly serious one.

"Huh?" I asked, glancing up at her.

"When did you learn alchemy?" she rephrased the question.

"Um..." I stammered to answer. "A couple of months ago-"

"WHAT?" she exclaimed.

I flinched, at her enraged tone. What had I done? As far as I knew, I hadn't done anything to upset my mother. But, as I gazed confused at her, I noticed that her eyes had grown more piercing than I had seen before, and her eyebrows furrows as her face become a glare of disapproval. That was the face that always made me want to shrink to the size of a mouse and live with them in the holes in the wall.

"You've been practicing alchemy for _months_?" she asked, in the serious tone she used before.

"Um... yeah..." I answered.

"Where did you even learn _that_?" she asked. I stammered to answered; however, my mother grasped my chin tightly, forcing me to look up at her. "Tell me!"

"I... I found a book about it," I answered innocently.

"Do you still have this _book_?"

I nodded slowly.

My mother then released me, but then she grabbed my hand and dragged me up the porch and into the house, completely ignoring the laundry scattered on the ground. My cries for freedom didn't stop her from dragging mt roughly by the wrist through our home, and I tried to contain my tears for what I feared to come next.

As soon as we reached my room, my mother shoved me inside demanding that I find the book. Reluctantly, and while trying to contain my tears, I searched through my bookshelf and pulled out the "Intro to Alchemy" textbook. Swallowing hard, I handed it to my mother, who then snatched it from my hand and walked out of my room.

I only stood there dumbstruck. What caused my mother to be upset with me over something like alchemy? It was simply a pass-time, which I could use no matter what the weather was like. The more I thought on the subject, the more it didn't make sense to me. I didn't want to ask my mother about it now, since she was still in a bad mood, so I would have to wait a while.

**~ . . * . . **~

"What? No! Momma!" I cried, racing around the table into the kitchen.

But, I was too late.

My mother had already tossed the alchemy book into the furnace, while I stood beside her. My green eyes widened in horror as I observed the alchemy text book become consumed in the flames. Embers fluttered to the roof of the furnace while the pages of the book were slowly eaten away, turning into nothing but a pile of ashes in between bits of charcoal.

I hung my head, blinking back the hot tears, so that they wouldn't stream down the sides of my face. The one thing that I had grown attached to, and the only thing I had to use with the little free time I had was gone. First my father, and now learning alchemy was slipping out of my hands. I had done nothing wrong, so why did I deserve _this_?

"Alchemy is nothing but a weapon, Danielle," my mother spoke sternly. "It's not a toy." Then she looked down at me with her piercing copper eyes. "I don't know where you even heard of it, but I forbid you to even practice or learn it."

I slowly nodded my head, and then I walked out of the room. I was too choked up with tears to stand up against my mother and argue on why alchemy was _not_ just a weapon. I _knew_ that it was so much more than that. I hadn't studied it for months to make myself a human weapon. I just wanted to impress my mother with something different. That was all.

That night, I lay in my bed nestling my head into my soaked pillow. I would sniffle here and there, trying to hold back the urge to sob, but the more I thought about the events that occurred that evening with my mother, the more the tears were forcing themselves to stream from my eyes, like a broken dam.

Why? What was so evil about alchemy? I could still picture the floating embers as the fire consumed the alchemy text book, until it collected into one giant pile of steaming ash. I wasn't even_trying_to use it as if it were a weapon! The first time I preformed alchemy successfully, I couldn't stop. It was just so much fun, and a learning process of creating something from something of equal mass. Couldn't it be considered part of my science class?

I sighed as turned my head, gazing off into space, dreading the coming of tomorrow, because tomorrow, my life would fall back into the pit of misery, and I would be kept on that short leash.

_A new world had opened before me for mere seconds, but then my mother had shut me out of that. Of course, I was determined to find a way back; back to where the sky was the limit, and back to understanding more about the world and life..._

**...**

**Dani: Age 13**

**...**

_Ever since my mother tossed my alchemy book into the furnace, it tore me apart. For nearly a year, I was shadowed in misery; however, I still yearned for the day the door to new beginnings would open once more. That's what alchemy had brought to me: A new life, a new start. It was a way that I thought I could impress my mother, but failed._

_A few years later, I heard rumor of a skilled alchemist living in Risembool and had moved on to Eastern City to become a State Alchemist. That happened about two years after the burnt-alchemy-book incident; but after hearing the tale, I asked around town making sure that it was true. It was, and that sparked my motivation to restart learning alchemy._

_The following year, my mother sent me into town for another errand; however, I not only came back with the groceries she needed, but I had also bought a copy of the Alchemy text book, and snuck it away into my room. I would stay up late for as long as I could, reading the text and diving into the secrets it held..._

I lay in bed for a few hours, waiting for my mother to fall into a deep sleep. Once I knew that it would be difficult for her to wake, I quietly crept out of my room and down the hall. Once I passed through the living room, I made my way over to the wooden door at the far end of the room, and slowly pulled it open, revealing a steep, wooden staircase leading into the benighted darkness.

After descending the first few steps, I quietly closed the door and held onto the stair rail until my bare feet came in contact with the cold, concrete floor of the basement. I gazed around the dark room, and then I walked blindly into the darkness, with an extended hand. As soon as my hand landed on a table, I slowly moved it downward until I pulled a drawer out, containing a few candles and match sticks.

Once the basement was lit with candles on every tabletop and empty shelf, I gazed around the room.

_There was no place in the house I could practice alchemy first hand without my mother noticing, so I decorated the basement, which used to hold my father's military paraphernalia, with my text book, some candles, chalk, and notebooks I used to practice drawing my circles freehand._

_Every night, I would spend an hour or two in the basement, practicing my alchemy and studying more about it. My mother never knew about my nightly escapades, since the basement was rarely used anymore. So, I had everything all to myself. Spending as much of my time that I never had for myself..._

I sat on my knees on the cold concrete and set down a leather sack beside me. I slowly sketched the outline of the matrix, making sure that everything was proportional before etching the shapes within the circle. As soon as I finished, I gazed down at the chalk mark on the smooth concrete, and then I grabbed the sack dumping out its contents: pottery shards.

While helping my mother with the laundry that afternoon, I accidentally bumped into the side of the porch sending the flowerpot crashing to the ground. I knew how my mother always loved to keep the yard looking nice every day, and I knew how livid she would be to see that one of her flower pots had somehow fallen to the ground an broke. However, I saw this as a test for my alchemy, so I had gathered the shards up and placed them a bag to practice for that night.

I made sure that each shard was placed in the very center of the circle, and then I took in a deep breath and placed my hands on the edge of the matrix. Instantly after that, the outline of the circle began to glow a light blue, kicking up a few dust bunnies. I coughed and sneezed at the blast of air, and as soon as the light died down, I turned my attention back down at the transmutation circle.

There, in the center, sat the flower pot. No chips, no scratches, nothing. It was flawless! It was if nothing had ever happened to it in the first place. I smirked to myself knowing that all I had to do was set it in its place where I found it, and then go on with my life, hoping that my mother never noticed its absence.

"Danielle? Are you down here?" a female voice echoed from above me.

I instantly froze in fear as goose-bumps began to crawl over my skin. My mother was awake! How? I made sure to stay as quiet as I possibly could without waking her up. But, somehow, she managed to find me. Did she wake and notice that I wasn't in the room? Or, did she notice that the basement door was no longer blocked?

Scrambling to my feet, I shoved all the note books and alchemy books back onto the shelf and hid the flower pot behind a few boxes. Suddenly light began to filter down the wooden staircase, and my mother's footsteps descended them, causing the old planks to creak. I stood in place with my hands behind my back and glanced around, hoping that I had concealed all the evidence. That was when I noticed the chalk drawing on the floor, and I quickly glanced from it to my mother figure, which soon began to appear, as she descended to the floor. As quickly as I could, I dropped to my knees, and sat cross-legged on top of the circle.

"Hey, Mom," I spoke, as she gazed at me from the staircase.

Her eyes were saggy from lack of sleep, and I was sure that all she wanted was to go back to bed; nevertheless, she continued to stare at my puzzled. "What are you doing down here?"

"I was just..." I began, glancing around the room. "Looking through Dad's old stuff."

"Well," my mother paused to heave in a deep yawn. "Come on back to bed. It's late."

"Okay."

I sat on the floor, waiting for my mother to leave the basement first; however, she didn't make a single move.

"Danielle?" my mother inquired.

"You go on ahead," I pressed on. "I have to clean up these candles..."

"Why are there so many candles set out anyway?"

"To see what I'm doing, of course."

My mother eyed me skeptically, while a cold chill ran down my spine. I sure wished that I was having a nightmare right now, and I could instantly make my mother belive every word I told her, or make her magically disappear from the basement. Sadly, this was all reality, and I had to depend on my quick wits to cover myself up.

"Is that chalk?" she asked, gesturing to a stick of chalk laying in the middle of the floor.

_Oh, shit..._ I thought.

Apparently, my mother noticed my apprehension. "Get up."

I was hesitant for a moment, trying to think of an excuse.

"GET UP!" she barked.

Obediently, I slowly stood up; however, I still stood in front of the transmutation circle on the ground. My mother strode over to me and shoved me out of the way, examining the matrix on the ground.

"What is _that_?" she asked.

"It's... a circle..." I answered. "With shapes in it..."

"Why is it there?" my mother questioned, giving me the 'Look of Death'. I hesitated, and averted her gaze, however, my mother tightly grasped my chin, forcing me to look at her. "Don't lie to me, Danielle."

I stuttered to answer, but then let my voice drop into a murmur as I answered.

"What?" my mother asked.

"It's for alchemy," I repeated a bit louder.

"Danielle Russo!" my mother hollered, releasing my chin. "I thought I forbid you from performing that... that magic!"

"It's not _magic_, it's alchemy!" I retorted.

My mother sighed. "Alchemy... Magic... Witchcraft... What's the difference?"

"It's not evil, Mom!" I shouted.

"Yes it _is_! What kind of military troops were sent to wipe out the Ishvalans? They weren't just _alchemists,_ they were human weapons! Do you really want to become like that?"

"Maybe I do!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm sick and tired of all this shit-!"

Immediately after I said that, my mother's hand had swept across my face, leaving a stinging mark on my cheek. Silence fell in the room, and I gingerly touched the stinging mark on my face, blinking back the hot tears wanting to pour from my eyes.

"Don't. You. _Dare_. Use that language with me," my mother hissed.

I only scoffed. "So what? That's still not going to stop me from joining the military."

"Why would you even want to?"

"I already told you! I'm sick and tired of this! I've never been anywhere passed Risembool, except for the time when we went to Central for Dad's funeral! I don't want to be just some farm girl; I want to be something more than that! Alchemy not only changed my life, I learned so much more about the world and life." I paused to let a few tears drop, and then I jerked my head up to face my mother. "I don't care what you say or think about it. I'm _going_ to become a skilled alchemist! I'm _going_ to join the military! Hell, I'm even going to try and become a State Alchemist!"

My voice had raised to a crescendo at that last part, and silence fell in the room once more. My mother and I only continued our stare of, as we glared at one another.

"Is that _really_ the life you want?" she asked.

"It's better than this one," I growled in reply.

"Well, you're going to have to deal with _that_," she spoke. Then, she turned around and stood by the stairs, "Now, get in bed."

Still scowling, I strode over to the staircase and ascended it. My mother put out the candles and closed the door behind us, while I stormed down the hall to my room. I threw myself onto my bed and pulled the covers over me. I stared off into space while I listened to the sound of my mother's footsteps echoing down the hall. I thought over the argument we shared moments ago.

How could she think that alchemy was that terrible? It wasn't! I had been studying it for three years without her even knowing, and all she knew about alchemy was from the news report on Fuhrer Bradley sending State Alchemists to eliminate the Ishvalans. Not _all_ alchemists were like that! Hell, some of them may have been against the idea like my father was against joining the war!

That was when I made up my mind.

**~ . . * . . ~**

I lay in bed, tossing from lack of sleep. Turning my head towards my side table, I squinted my eyes to read the hands on the clock: **4:05am**. Sunrise would be arriving soon, and my mother usually woke up around seven. Knowing that I had to get a head start, I sat up and slid out of bed, and then I dressed myself in a white T-shirt, black jacket, and jeans. Rummaging around underneath my bed, I pulled out a leather suitcase and packed away two sets of clothes and the necessities I would need, especially some money I might need for food. I made sure to leave some extra room for everything else I would be packing.

Clicking my suitcase shut, I hoisted it off the bed and quietly strode down the hallway. As soon as I reached the living room, I tp-oes through the living room, making sure to stay quiet, especially as I descended the stair case and rummaged through the drawers. Laying my suitcase on the ground, I packed away my notebooks and text books as well as a box of chalk and a few pencils. I gazed around the room, making sure I didn't miss anything; but then, my eyes landed on the large chest against the wall.

Curious I lifted the lid up and peered inside. My eyes widened when I found my father's spare uniform, some of his paraphernalia, and a few photos of our family in the early days. I smiled as I reflected back on those memories, picturing him standing with me in the room. I had to take my father with me somehow, and that was when my eyes landed on the black cap.

Drawing out the hat, I dusted it off, and turned it around, examining it. I remembered clearly that night my father had come home. He placed his hat on my head just for fun, and, of course, it was too big to fit my small, four-year-old head. Lifting the cap up, I set it on top of my head, and adjusted it until it felt comfortable. A perfect fit. Then, I grabbed a map of Amestris from the chest and stored it in my jacket pocket.

I scanned the basement one last time, and then I grabbed one of the pencils and tore out the corner of a piece of notebook paper. Hey, it only seemed fair that I left a note. Of course, I had only written two things:

**Goodbye Forever.**

Then, I packed everything away, leaving the cap on my head; and then I clicked the latches on the suitcase closed. I ascended the staircase and slowly closed the door behind me. At least my mother hadn't woken up this time. Making my way into the dining room, I set down the note and then turned away.

Leaving my house wasn't as heartbreaking as most would think. I was actually glad I was leaving this life. I had broken free from the short leash I was kept on, and now I was free to roam on my own. Of course, now that I knew alchemy, I could defend myself from any particular danger. I had made up my mind from the beginning of the year, and nothing was going to change it.

I was going to join the military and become a State Alchemist. I was going to practice along the way, just to improve my alchemy skills.

Striding down the trail to the main road, a warm breeze kicked up, flowing through my long, blonde hair. I glanced up at the early morning sky to find that the stars still twinkled above, notifying that the sun wasn't ready to rise above the treetops just yet. Releasing a sigh, I strode down the main road into Risembool, never taking a glance back at the little white farmhouse. I was leaving it all behind anyway, and I would make sure that I would never return to the life I used to have.

**~ . . * . . ~**

It was daybreak as soon as I reached the newly constructed train station. A low murmur echoed through the crowd of businessmen and tourists; in fact, I never expected the station to be so busy during the morning. Even though I never traveled on a train before, actually, I was clueless once I stepped into the station; however, after glancing around at the parked trains and signs above the desks, I figured it all out. Maneuvering my way through the crowd, I reached the front desk to purchase my ticket.

After a while, the conductor shouted the last call for Central Command from the train window. Following the crowd, I made my way onto the locomotive from the platform and took a seat on the wooden bench. Butterflies of excitement and anxiousness began stirring in the pit of my stomach; and they refused to calm down even as the train slowly pulled out of the station. Gazing out at the passing scenery calmed my nerves, and I could just picture myself strolling down the streets of the city with a big smile on my face, while the pocket watch glimmered in the sunlight.

Next stop... Central Command, where my new life would begin.

**...**

_**Present Day...**_

I sat there on the grass, staring at the gravestone. Evening had just rolled in, coating the sky in a orange, red, and yellow hue. While explaining my past, I never did make eye contact with the blonde-headed alchemist beside me, for fear of breaking out in tears and him witnessing it. _That_ would be my worst nightmare!

However, Edward remained silent most of the time; hell, sometimes I thought he left, but when I would glance over, there he sat with wide, golden eyes focused on me was he listened intently to my story. The little black dog with the prosthetic arm had curled up in the grass and fallen asleep halfway through it however.

"I couldn't stand living there anymore," I spoke, breaking the silence between us. "My mother..." I paused, gripping my pants at the thought, "she never cared about anything I did for her."

Edward hummed thoughtfully, and then he glanced off into space. "That was different for me and Al. After our dad left, we started studying all the alchemy books he had in his office. Of course,_our_mother encouraged us."

"Consider yourself lucky..." I growled.

The Fullmetal Alchemist sighed. "Look, Dani, I'm sorry for your loss-"

"Don't be," I answered, hanging my head so that the visor of my cap cast a shadow over my eyes. "I don't need your pity." I sighed, and then I placed my hand on the gravestone one last time. "I just wanted to make her proud of me. I've tried since I was a kid, but nothing I ever did was good enough for her. If I just never ran away -if I just never even learned how to do alchemy- she'd still be here."

Edward stayed silent for a few more moments, and then he stood up. The little black and white dog noticed and pushed himself up on his four legs (Er... three legs plus the metal one anyway). The blonde alchemist stared off down the trail, for a few moments, and then he gazed down at the little dog.

"Well," Edward spoke, breaking the awkward silence between us. "There's only one thing you _can_ do now..."

"Oh, yeah?" I asked, glancing up at him for the first time in hours. "What's that?"

The blonde alchemist didn't answer right away. Instead he gazed on down the trail. The gentle, evening breeze flowed through the cemetery, kicking up his scarlet trench coat, while his braid was tossed over his shoulder. HIs eyes were fixed on something off in the distance... either that or he was reflecting on a distant memory by gazing off into space.

"Keep moving on," he spoke calmly.

I tilted my head in confusion as I stared up at him.

"When times are tough like this, the only thing you can do is keep moving forward," Edward continued. "You've got two good legs, so use them."

After that, he strode down the pathway to the entrance of the cemetery. I thought over what the blonde said moments ago, and, as much as I hated to admit it, but he had a point. I moved on a few years after my father died, so I could do the same with my mother. Of course, it would be easier with her, since I didn't have that close of a relationship.

At that thought, I sighed and glanced down at the tombstone. I _wanted_ to have the same kind of relationship with her like how I had with my father.

I turned to stand up, but then I noticed a small leather-bound notebook on the ground where Edward previously sat. Picking it up, I flipped through the pages to find that they were alchemy notes.

"Hey, Elric," I shouted, holding the notebook in the air, "you forgot your..."

At that moment, I glanced up to find that the blonde-headed alchemist was nowhere in sight. I groaned as I lowered my arm and stared off in the direction he retreated with the dog, and then I glanced down at the notebook in my head. Well, I would see him once I got back to Eastern Headquarters, so I would return his little notebook to him by then.

Then, realization struck me. This was the _Fullmetal Alchemist's_ notebook filled with noted on Alchemy! A sly grin crossed my face as I opened the book and flipped through the page. Every single note he took while studying alchemy was right in here. I could learn all of his secrets, and maybe, I'd even figure out how he could perform alchemy without a transmutation circle.

Once I turned to the last few pages, I raised an eyebrow in confusion. Taking up and entire page was a giant, and very detailed, transmutation circle with numerous lines, symbols, and words that I had never seen on any other transmutation circle. On the page beside it was a list of ingredients, which I presumed belonged in the center of the circle. I scanned the heading of the note entry, and then my eyes widened in shock.

Human Transmutation.

Wasn't that considered a taboo? In all my years of studying alchemy, Human Transmutation, in other words: 'creating humans', was against all laws of Alchemy, which it was why it was considered a 'forbidden act'. Not to mention that it was against the rules of being a State Alchemist. So, why did Edward have _this_ in his notebook?

As I read more into the text and the facts about the circle, a wide smile spread across my face. This was it! I was finally going to get my wish! I could bring my mother back and start over again. Hell, I could bring my father back as well. I could start over and build that relationship with my mother that I never had the chance to, and my father could stay home for good! Sure, it was against the law, but if Edward got away with it, then what the military won't know won't hurt them. Besides, I was already keeping enough secrets from them, so one more couldn't hurt.

Without a moment to lose, I scrambled to my feet and shoved the notebook in my jacket pocket and raced down the trail. This was my chance, and I would stop at nothing to get to it.

I was going to bring both of my parents back tonight.

* * *

**Well, not much of a cliffhanger since you know what's going to happen in the next chapter...**

**But, anyways, hope you guys enjoyed the little flashback chapter with the present day details at the end! :D**

**Rate and Review Guys!**

**And if you like Ouran (especially you Kyoya fans), check out my Ouran High School Host Club Fanfic!**


	7. The Truth

**NOTE! THE ENDING WAS EDITED!**

**Hey guys! Welcome to the NEW Chapter 7! (PS, I also edited a little of Chapter 5)**

**Yeah, after seeing how difficult it would be to write the story with the plot it already had…. I decided to go on ahead and edit the plotline from here. ^^; Hope you don't mind! I kinda had to.**

**I'm amazed with how this story is coming along so well, and how a lot of you love it! In fact, I got two new reviewers in the last chapter, which makes me super happy! I'm actually going to be updating every weekend from now on (whenever I can...). Just because it seems easier that way, and it gives you guys something to look forward too.**

**Anyway, enough of my babbling, you guys have waited long enough to see what happens to Dani, so let's get this story on the road, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist be owned by its creator, Hiromu Arakawa, and Bones studio and Aniplex owns the rights to the official release, with FUNimation owning the official DUB release. To sum everything up, I OWN NOTHING!**

**Claimer: All I own is my OC, Dani. ^^**

* * *

**Chapter VII: ****_The Truth_**

It took about half an hour to travel to the little white farmhouse from the cemetery; and by the time I took a few steps up the dirt pathway leading to the front porch, night began to roll in. I had to keep my hand on the rail for fear of falling down the porch steps, while I maneuvered through the benightedness. Once I knew I was on level ground, I held out my hand, and slowly moved forward until my fingertips brushed against the brass doorknob.

Twisting the knob, I slowly pushed it open, revealing the ravaged state of the household. A cold chill ran down my spine as I gazed around at the interior and uneasiness began to settle in the pit of my stomach. Hughes and his men were going to inspect the area tomorrow morning, for any further clues leading to the murder case of my mother. Visions of that day passed through my mind, and I clenched my hand and gritted my teeth tightly.

It was my fault that my mother was gone. If I had just stayed, I could have protected her; hell, maybe even with alchemy! My mother may have been cold and harsh towards me in the past, but she didn't deserve to be brutally attacked and bleed to death! I released a few deep breaths and relaxed my muscles. All of that was going to change now.

Because the lamps were busted, with pieces scattered across the floor, I had to maneuver my way through complete darkness. I slowly strode through the benighted living room, with my arms extending in front of me. From time to time, I would either bump into a wall or into a fallen piece of furniture, or step on a shard of pottery or picture frame, causing it to crack even more. I could visualize the layout of the room in my mind, but it was difficult arriving at the destination with all these obstacles in my way.

Eventually, my hands landed on the smooth wall, and I ran over the ripped and tarnished wallpaper and over the molding a few times until they rested around an icy doorknob. My face lit up, and I slowly twisted the knob, pulling the door open with a creak. I gazed down the staircase, leading into the dark abyss. My eyes had just adjusted to the darkness in the room, but gazing down into the dark cellar was like trying to look through a glass of ink.

There was the uneasiness again, followed by a wave of nostalgia. I stood at the top of the stairs frozen in place as I stared downward into the benighted basement. I hadn't been down there in years! What if my mother had cleaned everything out, leaving all of my father's belongings? If that was true, then there was no way I could perform this "Human Transmutation". Shaking the thought away, I stepped down into the basement.

Keeping a hand tightly grasped on the handrail, I slowly made my way down the creaky wooden steps. So many thoughts were racing through my mind at the time. What if I didn't perform the transmutation in time before Hughes got here? What if I didn't have the ingredients? Well, I would find out the answers once I was downstairs.

_Just take it one step at a time, Dani,_ I thought.

As soon as I knew I was standing on the concrete flooring, I strode around the benighted room, while the only light source was the faint moonlight filtering in the room from the small window near the ceiling. At least it was illuminating the area where the desk was, allowing me enough light to pull open the drawer of matches and candle to fully light the basement.

After setting the candles around the room, I stood up straight; however, I stared dumbstruck at the decor of the basement. It was left exactly the same as it was when I ran away from home. My text books and notebooks were organized on the shelf, practice transmutation circles still adorned the walls, and even my hand-made poster of the periodic table was left on the wall above my father's chest.

"Huh," I mused as I strode over to the book shelf. "Guess Mom decided _not_ to burn everything."

I swept my hand across the spine of the books, ridding them of the dust they had collected for the past three years. Three Years... it felt like forever ago, too. So much had happened to me during that time period: I changed my appearance, joined the military, and became a State Alchemist (in a plutonic partnership with Edward Elric). Now, it's all come down to this moment.

Pulling out one of my notebooks, I carried it over to the desk and sat down. Placing Edward's notebook on the desk beside me, I flipped to the page with the topic of "Human Transmutation", and then I studied the detailed matrix and copied it on a blank sheet of paper. I would have to practice drawing the matrix first, especially since the text read that it was supposed to be fairly large.

This could take a while...

**~ . . * . . ~**

Outside, the wind blew harshly, causing the trees to sway and bend in their force. Branches scratched against the side of the little farmhouse, while a few leaves surrendered to the strong winds, and left their former places on the branches to be taken away by the rushing breeze. Ravens cawed ominously on the roof of the farmhouse, but then quickly retreated to a safer place.

From what I read in Edward's notes, alchemists had tried and failed at Human Transmutation. I looked like a huge risk, but I was willing to accept it. Those alchemists who dared to perform the transmutation must've not had their bodies or minds well-prepared. I was ready, I was fully prepared. I didn't spend hours upon hours in the middle of the night in this very basement doing nothing but studying and practicing alchemy for nothing! I was willing to take on this challenge.

If I preformed this transmutation with as much effort as I could muster, I probably would be the first ever alchemist to successfully perform Human Transmutation! In fact, if I was successful, Edward would _have_ to cut me some slack! I smirked and closed my eyes picturing myself in Central Headquarters, standing at the podium in front of thousands of cheering fans, alchemists, and military troops. I would be the most renowned State Alchemist in all of Amestris; hell, maybe even the world!

That was just a distant dream now, and the only way to make that dream a reality was to give everything I had into this transmutation process. I'll bring both my parents back. I'll hug my father, make amends with my mother.

But most importantly... rub it in Edward's face.

Finally, after spending three and a half hours non-stop of studying and practicing, I managed to outline the matrix on paper free-hand. Trust me, with all the details and text within the circles, my hand would start to cramp after about an hour. Of course, it took another hour gathering all the ingredients I would need in order to perform the transmutation, plus rummaging around for a proper bin to place all the ingredients in. Hell, after studying the Fullmetal Alchemist's notes, I practically had them memorized:

_Water: 35 liters._

_Carbon: 20 kilograms._

_Ammonia: 4 liters._

_Lime: 1.5 kilograms._

_Phosphorus: 800 grams._

_Salt: 250 grams._

_Saltpeter: 100 grams._

_Sulfur: 80 grams._

_Fluorine: 7.5 grams._

_Iron: 5 grams._

_Silicon: 3 grams._

_And 15 other elements in trace quantities…_

Of course, those were only the ingredients to bring back _one_ human being. In order to bring _both_ my mother and father back to the land of the living, I would have to double the recipe. It wasn't written in the notebook about a double transmutation, but it was simple math. If you want two of something, you had to double the recipe.

Standing up, I strode across the room and opened the cabinet. Cobwebs adorned the back corners of the cupboard that had been abandoned for years. At least my beakers and test tubes were still inside... dusty, but still inside. I grabbed as many as I would need, and then I set them gently on the table. I measured, poured, mixed the ingredients accordingly as the recipe called for, doubling them in the process. I couldn't mix too much or too little, because that would cause a traumatic rebound; something I did_ not_ want to happen.

Once I had each ingrediant measured precisely, I poured them into the aluminum bin, mixed in with the 70 liters of water. I shifted and swished the basin until the water was absorbed into the ingredients, leaving a mound of mushy gray substances. Now came the tricky part: the constructional part of the formula. Clearing the floor of any objects, I made enough room to draw the massive transmutation circle. Laying on my stomach with my arm extended, I slowly traced the outline of the circle, turning my body every so often. After that, I sat on my knees, tracing the intricate designs on the concrete flooring.

I wasn't sure how long it took, but as soon as I finished, I checked Edward's notebook, just to make sure I hadn't missed any important details. Nope. Everything was there. I stood up to stretch my aching muscles, and I gazed in awe at the massive transmutation circle with the shapes of stars, squares, and half-circles adorning its interior. All I had to do was finish it off with the symbols and the writing. I carefully stepped to the center of the circle, wary not to smear any of the pre-drawn lines. The white stick of chalk danced across the concrete as I worked my way towards the outer rim.

"The peacock's feathers in bright colors,..." I mumbled as I wrote, "...the rainbow in the sky above, the spotted panther, ... The green lion, the crow and beak, blue as lead. ... They shall appear before you in perfect white. ... Pale white and black with false citrine, imperfect white and red. ... After the perfect white follows the grey, ... and after these shall appear the substance. "

Maneuvering my way out of the circle, I sighed and wiped my arm across my sweating brow. Would I have enough energy left in me to perform the transmutation? Leaving the circle alone for a while, I stood up and walked over to the desk, grabbing the clock and examining the face:**12:03 PM.** I had plenty of time to bring my mother and father back, make amends, get some rest, and head back to Eastern with Hughes the next day.

I smiled as I pictured my mother and father appearing in the center of the circle. Of course, they would be confused as to why they were brought back to earth, but I wouldn't care. I would hold them tight and never let, go especially my father. Two years, I had only known him for two years and a few months of my life before he left me and my mother. All of that was going to change now.

Pulling out Edward's notebook one last time, I scanned the picture of the hand-drawn transmutation circle, comparing it with my own. If I was missing any important parts of the matrix, I would be in one hell of a mess. Was I paranoid? Possibly. But, hey, this was the first time I've preformed alchemy that was this technical. I had to make sure everything was perfect.

"Matrix... check," I mused as I scanned over the text. "Container for ingredients... check; ingredients... che- Wait..."

Narrowing my eyes, I took a closer look at the one ingredient I missed. It was a good thing I had caught that mistake, or there definitely would have been hell to pay. Of course, as soon as I read over the final ingredient, I paled, and covered my mouth with my hand, holding back the urge to regurgitate.

Soul data... A.K.A. Blood. How ironic...

My first thought was: _There's no way in hell I'm going to cut myself._ I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I. Can't. Stand. Blood. A festering scab or wound was fine, depending on the severity; however, fresh blood oozing out from a newly made wound... I shuddered at the mere image. Swallowing hard, I ventured up the staircase to the main level of the house, maneuvering my way around the obstacles to and from the kitchen. I was more wary of where I was walking when I was striding back from the kitchen, especially since I was carrying a knife.

As soon as I was back down in the cellar, I sat on my knees in front of the basin on ingredients. I stared down at it for a moment and then hesitantly brought the knife up to my finger. It took forever to make myself stop shaking; and, eventually, I brought the knife down to my finger, sliding the sharp blade across the flesh. Sinking my teeth into my lower lip, I winced as the stinging pain shot though my arm. After a few seconds, the all-too familiar sight of blood began to seep out from the wound, and I quickly held my hand face-down over the basin watching with one eye open as the drops of blood dripped from my hand, staining the ingredients.

Immediately, after that, I quickly stood up and set the knife down on the desk. Then, I wound my finger up in my T-shirt, putting as much pressure on my throbbing finger. I waited a few minutes, and then I checked my finger to find that the bleeding had ceased; however, there was a small red blotch on my white shirt. Oh, well. It would wash off.

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down, and then I grabbed the basin of ingredients, and plopped them down in the center of the matrix. Afterwards, I sat down on my knees at the edge of the transmutation circle, staring at it for a few seconds. This was it. As soon as I put my hands on the edge of the circle, I would be in the midst of performing human transmutation. So many thoughts began buzzing around in my mind a mile a minute. This was a life or death type of situation; I mean the odds of living were against me at the moment. However, the risk was all too tempting to resist.

"I can do this..." I whispered to reassure myself. "I _will_ perform Human Transmutation. I _will_ bring my parents back. But mostly..." I glanced up and raised my voice, "I'll show Elric who's the better alchemist!"

With that, I stared down at the transmutation circle once more, and then I took a few deep breaths. I began to feel uneasy in my abilities again, no matter how many times I reassured myself. All I had to do was slam my hands down on the floor and activate the array. It wasn't that hard.

Just when I raised my hands up, I heard a voice shriek from the doorway. "Dani!"

Startled, I jerked my head over in the direction of the voice. Of course, all I could see was a blur of navy blue before I was tightly grasped around the waist and hauled away from the circle etched in chalk on the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I screamed, attempting to wriggle myself free from the person's grasp. "Let me go!"

"I'm not going to let you throw away your life so recklessly!" the person behind me hollered.

I nearly gasped in shock familiarizing the voice, and then I twisted my body around to face whoever it was that was holding me. Yep, my hunch was right. It was none other than the lieutenant colonel, Hughes.

"Let me go, Hughes…" I hissed warningly.

When he gave no verbal response and denied my request, I only squirmed even more. Finally, I was able to tear myself from his grasp, and I raced over to the array. Just when I was mere feet away from falling to my knees and slapping my hands down on the edge of the circle, I felt Hughes' hand clutch my wrist and jerk me back.

"Dammit!" I snapped, swinging at the man with my free hand. "I said LET GO!"

When my fist was only inches away from breaking his glasses, he grabbed my other wrist with his free hand and twisted me around so that my back was to him and my arms were crossed. I still fought back no matter how long it took. I'd wear the lieutenant colonel down sometime.

"Why are you doing this, Danielle?" he inquired.

"Because I want to start over again!" I retorted. "I'm just one step closer to bringing my parents back, so…" I continued to struggle out of his grasp as I added: "just… let me… get it over… with!"

"Did you even stop to think what would happen if it _failed?_" the lieutenant colonel pressed on.

"I don't need to!" I shot back. "It was in Edward's notes-"

"But that doesn't mean that _he_ succeeded!"

I stopped squirming for a minute and thought over what Hughes said. So, Edward tried human transmutation? That would explain why he had it written down in his notes. But…he's still alive, so his attempt at the transmutation had to have worked!

...right?

"He's still here, so wouldn't his transmutation be a success?" I inquired.

"That's something you're going to have to ask him yourself," Hughes answered, more calmly this time.

So, that means that if Edward _didn't_ succeed, then there was no possible way to bring back my mother and father. More importantly, I had doubled the transmutation from Edward's notes, so if _I_ failed, it would've been one messy rebound.

As I gazed out into the dimly lit room with the giant transmutation circle etched in the center, my throat began to choke up with tears. To think that if I tried to perform the Double Human Transmutation, it would've been more of a suicide. I'd see my parents, all right; but, not in _this_ world. What was I thinking?

"But..." I stammered, my voice cracked as my eyes moistened.

Then, I dropped to my knees, allowing a few tears to run down my cheeks and onto the concrete floor of the basement. I nearly threw my life away if Hughes hadn't have barged in and stopped me just in time. What an idiot I was...

Hughes released my wrists and knelt down beside me. "I'm sorry, Dani. I understand how much you want to bring them back, but death this permanent."

"_I_ should be the one that's sorry..." I spoke, trying not to make it evident that I was crying (although I was sure that Hughes had figured it out). "I just wanted to see dad one more time, and..." I could feel more tears wracking my throat as I the words ran through my mind. "... and I wanted to start over with mom..."

With that, a river of tears began flowing from my eyes as I hung my head, allowing them to drip down to the floor. I sniffled and shuddered as more waves of tears overcame my body. Tears of sadness, tears of guilt, and tears of fear were all mixed together.

It took a few minutes or so for me to finally be able to cease the water works. Sniffling once more, I continued to sit on my knees in the still silence, and I nearly flinched when a felt a warm hand placed on my shoulder.

"I'm sure your mother is _very_ proud of you, Danielle," the lieutenant colonel spoke calmly.

I groaned at the mere thought of the woman. "No she isn't. She _never_ was."

Hughes sighed. "Listen, I know you had issues with your mother, but she loved you, Danielle. She still does."

I scoffed. "Puh-lease, she never let me use alchemy! It was pretty much forbidden. I did it anyway though, and that's what caused our falling-out." I sighed and laid the side of my head on the Hughes' shoulder. "I just wanted to impress her, and show her that I was good enough."

"Well, _I _think you're good enough, Danielle. I'm sure both of your parents think that."

"It doesn't feel that way..."

And it sure didn't. I sacrificed a lot to make it to the top and become a State Alchemist, but I was just one of the many in Amestris. In order to make myself renowned for years and years to come, I would've had to step up my game.

After a few moments, Hughes broke the silence. "Well, it's late. I'm sure you're probably worn out by now."

I nodded, and then Hughes helped me stand on my feet. The lieutenant colonel and I spent a good half-hour of cleaning the transmutation circle off the floor, and disposing the ingredients in the bin. We made sure to put everything back where it belonged, especially blowing out the candles and storing them in the drawer.

I grabbed Edward's notebook on the way out of the room, and then I followed Hughes up the staircase. Before ascending the last few steps, I glanced over my shoulder at the basement one last time and then sighed, climbing the last few steps and closing the door behind me.

Well, I may have learned the truth about death. But what I was really interested in was Edward's little secret about _his_ transmutation. Hell, maybe that would answer why he was so renowned through Amestris.

**~ . . * . . ~**

I gazed out the window of the military van, taking in the night scene of the rural countryside of Risembool. I must admit that there were tons of starts glistening in the sky, because of no light like in the city to absorb it all. Was I going to miss it when I left? Of course not.

Hughes and I had just returned from the inn, gathering my luggage, and we were on our way to some automail workshop to meet up with Edward. I guess that because we now knew where he was, I could stay with him; that way, when Ed heads back to HQ we could continue finding that stone.

I sure was lucky that Hughes barged into the basement before I was able to activate the array. Who knows what would've happened to me if he hadn't showed up in time? Come to think of it, I never mentioned to him where I was going after leaving the cemetery, so how did he know I went back to my house?

"Hey, lieutenant colonel?" I asked, breaking up the silence. "How did you know where I was?"

"Call it a hunch," the lieutenant colonel answered. "When I got back to the inn, I waited about half an hour for you to show up; when you didn't, I went back looking for you. I first stopped at the cemetery to see if you were still there; and when I couldn't find you _there_ I knew there was only one place you could have gone off to."

"Why did you even decide to rescue me?" I inquired. "I mean, you could've just let me learn my lesson the hard way."

"First of all, I'm not that kind of person. I may not know everything about alchemy, but I _do_ know the consequences of a taboo. Secondly," Hughes paused and rested his elbow on the window sill, gazing out the window. "I made a promise to your dad."

Raising an eyebrow, I turned my attention from the window and faced him. Right. Almost forgot that Hughes knew my dad back during the Civil War. But I never would've guessed that the two of them were actually buddies or something.

"What was it?" I asked.

The lieutenant colonel didn't answer for a minute. He continued to gaze out the window as if reflecting on a distant memory. I sat there as patiently as I could, holding back the urge to press on in order to get an answer.

"It was his last words," Hughes spoke, continuing to gaze out the window. "He held on to every last bit of energy he had until I made my promise." The lieutenant colonel smiled as he faced me. "He said: 'Hughes, if anything happens to my wife, I want you to take care of my little girl'."

Those words really pierced through me. My father must've trusted Hughes a lot since he offered Hughes the role as my surrogate father. It would've been nice living with the lieutenant colonel and his family; heck I lived with them for a year when I failed the first try at the Alchemy Exam. Of course, I sure messed _that_ plan up when I became a State Alchemist.

"You know," Hughes spoke up, breaking the silence. "You do remind me a lot of your dad, Dani."

Raising an eyebrow, I turned to face him. "What do you mean?"

Hughes smiled. "Well, for starters, you both have green eyes."

"Yeah," I added, nonchalantly. "That's the _only_ thing I got from him. Everything else was from my mom."

"Appearance-wise, maybe," the lieutenant colonel spoke, "but, you're devoted and hard-working like him."

Huh. I never would've thought of that. Growing up, my dad only stayed home for about a week every year before heading back over to Ishvaal. As a child, I always saw him a kind, and loving like any child would see their parents. As I reflected more on the resemblance… I did work hard, sometimes pushing myself to my breaking point.

"You know how he died, right?" Hughes inquired.

"Yeah," I answered. "He was shot."

That was when I noticed a ghost of a grin spread across the lieutenant's lips. "There's more to that. You see, when he and his squadron were entering the battlefield, getting ready to open fire, all the Ishvaalan families were running to find safety. Once his troops were ready to open fire, there was a young Ishvalan boy who got lost from his group and was stuck in the midst of the battle. There wasn't enough time to call off the attack, so your dad ran out and moved the boy to safety. As soon as he turned around to run back, he was shot."

At first I was about to scream 'Are you kidding me?! That is the _stupidest_ and most reckless thing anyone could ever do!'; however, after a second thought, I realized that it wasn't so insane after all. My father wouldn't just allow an innocent child to get brutally murdered. Even though it was a stranger's child, he played the "good Samaritan".

"Giving up his life to save another..." I mused. "It's almost like Equivalent Exchange."

Hughes chuckled; but before either one of us could say anything else, the car rolled to a halt in front of a two-storied home with a green porch and balcony railing at the top. The lieutenant colonel was the first to step out of the vehicle, while I grabbed my bags and hopped out to join him.

As the lieutenant colonel took the lead, I gazed at the little farmhouse up the hill. _This_ is where Edward and Al were staying? Shouldering my bag, I followed Hughes up the trail to the shabby home. Hughes knocked a few times on the door, and then the two of us patiently waited outside.

Barking echoed on the other end of the door, followed by a rasp chide to hush the dog, along with a set of footsteps. The door opened revealing a dwarfish, elderly woman with gray hair pulled back into a stiff ponytail.

She looked from Hughes and then to me, and raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you?"

"Uh… yeah," I answered. "Is Edward Elric here?"

Before the old woman could answer, the blonde alchemist popped into view on the other side of the door, with a puzzled countenance. "Russo? Hughes? What're you guys doing here?"

"You know them, Ed?" the old woman inquired, turning to the blonde.

"Yeah," The Fullmetal Alchemist answered, walking over to us. "Granny, this is lieu-"

"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes! Pleased to meet ya!" Hughes spoke with that cheesy smile as he saluted.

"Yeah," Edward continued. "And _this_," he added, placing a hand on my shoulder, "is Daniel; a little tag-along."

Well, _once again_ Edward crossed the line. "I'm you're State Alchemist partn-!"

At that moment, as soon as I whirled around to retort, I fell silent and my eyes widened as I scanned the blonde from head to toe. Edward was wearing a long, light blue T-shirt and a pair of briefs. Of course, that wasn't all... He was missing his right arm! And on top of that he had a plastic left leg!

I stared at his lack of fleshy limbs, blinking a few times, and then backed away with a shriek. "Wh-wha?" I shouted pointing at the blonde. "What the hell happened to your arm? _And_ your leg?"

Edward rubbed the back of his head with his hand (which technically was the only one he could use at the moment). "Eh... long story..."

The old woman hummed thoughtfully, and then she gazed up at me. "Well, I guess you'll be staying as well, dear. There aren't any rooms left open, so you'll have to stay with Edward."

"SAY WHAT?" the blonde alchemist and I retorted at the same time.

The old woman adjusted her circular specs, unfazed by our outburst. "You two are together anyway, so you might as well make the best of it..."

I continued to stare dumbstruck at the Fullmetal Alchemist, but Hughes clapping a hand on my shoulder brought me back into reality.

"Well… I'll see you around, kiddo~" Hughes spoke.

"Come along, dear," the old woman spoke, turning and walking down the hall. "Let me show you to your room."

I nodded, and then followed the old woman down the hall. She opened the door to a small room with one bed off to the side, and a sofa at the other end. Edward's black jacket and slacks were sprawled out on the floor by his bed, while his long, red jacket hung limply over the edge of a chair. Typical boyish nature...

That was when I noticed Alphonse propped up against the wall at the back of the room. Well, at least his armor was anyway. There was a giant tarp covering a gaping hole in the side of the armor, with a few pieces laying on a tarp beside it. Where the actual Alphonse was, I wasn't sure; I mean, wouldn't _he_ be the one sharing the room with Ed?

"Hey, Dani," the young boy's voice echoed from inside the armor.

_Holy shit! _I thought. _He's still inside that thing?_

"What're you doing here?" the boy inquired.

"Uh..." I began, still shocked that Al was still inside his suit. I mean, did he camp out in there all the time? "Well... Hughes is heading back to Central in the morning, so he just dropped me off here with you guys..."

The boy nodded, while the old woman walked over to the couch and pulled it away from the wall, folding the back downward. Huh, and adjustable couch that turns into a bed... Whoever invented _that_ was a genius; hell, maybe even a millionaire by now.

"Well, I'll let you get settled in," the elderly woman spoke.

"Thanks... uh..." I began, realizing that Edward hadn't introduced me to her yet.

The woman smiled. "Pinako Rockbell."

"Right. Thanks, Mrs. Rockbell," I spoke.

"Sure thing," she answered. Then she turned around and began walking out of the room. "If you need anything else, just call."

As soon as her miniature figure disappeared around the corner, I sighed and tossed my bag onto the bed. Zipping the bag open, I pulled out my pajama bottoms. Slipping out of my jacket, exposing the white T-shirt underneath, I hung the jacked over the edge of the headboard of the futon.

"Hey, Al?" I inquired. "Could you look away for a minute?"

"Oh... sure, Dani," the boy answered, turning the helmet of the armor to the side.

I stared at him for a few more moments, checking to make sure that there weren't any holes in the side of his helmet, and then I quickly slipped off my pants and pulled on my pajama bottoms.

"Okay, you can look now," I told the boy.

After packing away my clothes in my bag, I tossed it onto the floor by the bed, and then I stretched my arms. Man, was I ready to get some sleep. Who knows how long I stayed up? Well, one thing was for sure was that studying Edward's notes and decoding them for who knows how long took some energy out of me.

Just when I was about to climb into bed and pass out, a male voice growled: "What were you thinking?"

Startled, I jerked my head up to find Edward standing in the doorway. His hand was clenched, and his golden eyes were lit up like fire as he glared at me from across the room. I raised an eyebrow in confusion, wondering why he was so livid.

"Hey, Elric," I spoke, calmly. "How long have you been standing th-"

"What were you thinking, Russo?" he asked again, his voice rising to a crescendo.

I flinched at his sudden outburst, but then I quickly regained my composure. "What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about," Edward hissed, shutting the door behind him. "Hughes told me everything. What you tried to do earlier."

My eyes widened as I stared at Edward bewildered. Was Human Transmutation _that bad_? "Oh, shut up... He stopped me from doing it."

"Yeah, thankfully!" He groaned, and ran his hand through his blonde bangs. I just still can't believe you! After what I told you at the cemetery, you still had the audacity to go on and try to perform Human Transmutation!"

I heard Alphonse gasp in shock from behind me as the room grew deathly silent. Edward's fiery, golden scowl was the most intimidating look I had ever seen! Even if he _did_ have to incline his head somewhat to look up at me, it was still terrifying. Of course, I wasn't going to let my guard down.

"It's not like I had a choice!" I retorted.

"Yes, you had a damn choice!" the blonde alchemist answered, slamming his hand down on the side table. "You could've just accepted the facts, and just moved on with your life. But no, you, a novice alchemist, decided to go on and try human transmutation for the first time without honing your skills or practicing with a teacher!"

"Well, I _didn't_ do it," I snapped back. "I mean, yeah, I doubled the recipe and everything but-"

"WHAT?" Edward cried. Then, he grasped the collar of my shirt, and tugged me forward, so that my face was mere inches away from his. "YOU _DOUBLED_ THE RECIPE? Geez, I knew you were a stubborn idiot, but this just proves it!"

"Shut the hell up, Elric," I screamed, placing my hands on his shoulders and shoving him away from me. His hand released the collar of my shirt, and I continued to glare at him, but I felt hot tears pricking the back of my eyes. "You don't understand..."

Edward released a deep breath. "I understand completely." Then, he propped the plastic leg up on the bed and pointed to it. "You see _this_?"

I nodded.

"_This_ is what happens when you play 'God'," the Fullmetal Alchemist continued.

"Wait... So you _did_ try to perform Human Transmutation?"

"Ed and I both did," Alphonse chimed in.

Wait? _Both_ of them attempted Human Transmutation? I glanced from the boy in armor to his older brother, who only gazed off into space, probably reliving the memory.

"Al and I tried to bring our mom back," Edward spoke, taking his leg off the bed. "We failed, obviously. I lost my left leg, while he lost his entire body."

I backed away in shock. That can't be right! Glancing over at the younger Elric on the floor, I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Lost his entire body?" I repeated. Then I extended my hand outwards, gesturing to the boy behind me. "Alphonse is _right there_!"

"That's the second part," Al spoke forlornly.

Okay... this was starting to get _really_ confusing...

"In order to bring Al back," Edward continued for his brother. "I had to give up my right arm."

With that, Edward rolled back his sleeve, where his arm was missing, revealing a large metal port attached to his shoulder. He even slipped the sleeve off completely to reveal that the port was attached to half of his torso, while pinkish scars extended from the metal. My eyes widened even more as I stared dumbstruck at Edward's missing right limb.

"Of course," the blonde alchemist added, slipping his sleeve back over his shoulder and walking over to the suit of armor. "I had to make a Blood Seal to anchor his soul to the suit of armor."

Standing next to his brother in armor, he lifted his helmet off. Like any logical-thinking person, I was expecting to see the head of a young boy under the helmet. Unfortunately, that was nothing. Slowly walking over to the two brothers, I gazed down into the armor to find that there was absolutely nothing inside. Inside the armor, however, at the back of the collar, was a blood-stained transmutation array, which, I presumed, was the 'Blood Seal'.

So, the Fullmetal alchemist _did_ indeed perform Human Transmutation, which would explain why it was written in his notes. But, at that time, I had no idea the great price it would be to bring back an actual human being from the dead, even if it did fail. Ed lost a leg, while Al lost his entire body. Man, if I had actually preformed the transmutation, who knows what I would've lost?

"I... I had no idea..." I murmured, hanging my head.

Edward didn't answer. Instead, he placed the helmet back on the suit of armor, and then turned around, walking towards his bed. Man, learning about what really happened to Edward and Alphonse overwhelming. Sighing, I walked across the room, flipping the light off and climbed into bed, while Ed did the same.

"Good night, Brother," Alphonse spoke. (man, it was going to be hard getting used to the fact that he was really hollow inside). "G'night, Dani."

"Night, Al," I answered.

Of course, Edward didn't answer, so I presumed that he had already fallen asleep. I wouldn't blame him. I mean, it was late anyway. Pulling the covers up to my shoulder, I nuzzled my head into the pillow waiting for sleep to take over.

"Alchemy is the reconstruction of matter in new forms based on the knowledge of natural laws," Edward's calm, but piercing, voice spoke from across the room. "The world flows by obeying those laws. Life, and even death, are a part of the flow. Accept the flow of the world."

"What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?" I inquired, gazing across the room as the boy.

Of course, he didn't answer me. He was probably still pissed off. Well, he'll be back to his egotistical old self in a few days...

* * *

**Dun Dun Duuuuuun~**

**Well, there you guys go! It was obvious from the cliffhanger in the last chapter that she was going to do it. Of course, she really didn't, which made the plot-twist even twistier! :D And, for those of you who are wondering, the writing in the circle is really what the writing is. (Trust me. Google it.)**

**On another note... YAY! Winry makes an appearance! ^^**

**So, hope you guys enjoyed~!**

**And I'll try to post the EDITED chapter 8 sometime this weekend!**

**Oh, and that little rectangle button below? Yeah, that's the Review Button ^^ If you click it and leave a review you'll help donate to Al's "Kitten Rescue Shelter" :3 So click it if you wanna save the kitties~**


	8. The Long Road Ahead

**Uhh... Hehe ^^; Hey guys... Long time no see.**

**Sorry for the (once again...) Late chapter, But, I promise, I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing!**

**Okay, like I said, I decided to delete and re-write the original chapters 7-11 because... well, the plotline just wasn't working out too well in the story ^^; Yeah, Conflict Overdose... So, for those of you who read the original chapters 7-11 and took a break, and decided to come back and read, this will explain why the plotline was re-written and stuff. (Plus, the title has "REWRITE" in it anyway...)**

**So, anyway, we're going to get back on track with this fic, keeping it at a decent level of conflict without going overboard with twists and turns and confusion everyone. I'm actually going to be writing a lot tomorrow as well, to see how much I can get done before Christmas!**

**Okay, no on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist be owned by its creator, Hiromu Arakawa, and Bones studio and Aniplex owns the rights to the official anime release, with FUNimation owning the official DUB release. To sum everything up, I OWN NOTHING!**

**Claimer: All I own is a few pennies (and movie ticket stubs and fortune cookie papers) in my pocket as well as my FMA OC, Dani!**

* * *

**Chapter VIII:**_**The Long Road Ahead**_

_I stood in the midst of a foggy field. Nothing else stood around me but the vast vapor that seemed to stretch on forever. No trees, no figures, no landmarks... Nothing! Hoping to reach life soon, I began walking through the fog, squinting my eyes as I glanced around. No matter how many times I looked, I couldn't make out a single figure in the thick mist._

_"Hello?" I called out. "Anyone here?"_

_No answer came in response; however, the fog lifted somewhat, revealing a small, white farmhouse. Tilting my head in confusion, I slowly made my way through the fog and towards the house. It was a cute little house with dark-blue shutters and a little wooden porch at the front door. There was a little dirt trail leading from the road up to the front of the house. Slowly continuing through the mist, I walked around the house, but then suddenly stopped frozen in my tracks._

_Behind the house stood were two poles erected in the ground with wires running between them. A basket filled with tangled, soggy clothes was set on the ground by the poles. Of course, my attention was soon focused on a tall, blonde headed woman, who was busily folding clothes and hanging them on the clothes line. I stared at her for a few moments, wide eyes, but she didn't even turn around or even notice that I was there._

_Unable to contain my joy, I darted towards the woman. "Mom!"_

_The woman stopped what she was doing, and turned to face me puzzled. Her copper brown eyes shimmered even though there was no light source filtering through the foggy field. My mother had no time to react before I threw my arms around her, burying my face in her shoulder as I began to cry._

_"Danielle?" she asked._

_"I'm sorry, Mom!" I sobbed. "I'm so sorry..."_

_"Why did you leave, dear?" she inquired._

_Sniffling, I lifted my head up to look at her; however, I quickly noted that I was no longer outside. Instead, I was inside a bedroom with the only light filtering into the room was through the window. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I glanced around to find that it was my mother and father's bedroom, but what was I doing in here? How did I get here in the first place?_

_"Why did you leave?" my mother's voice asked again._

_I glanced down, but quickly regretted my decision as I scooted away in shock, with my eyes widened at the horror. My mother was lying on the wooden floor motionless. Her wavy, honey-blonde hair lay sprawled out on the floor, with a pool of blood around her head. I stared at her for a few more moments, unsure of what was to come next. After a few moments of staring at her, I leaned over her pale, lifeless corpse._

_"Mom...?" I began._

_Suddenly, she grasped my wrist tightly with her hand. I shrieked as I tried to pull away; however, her grip was as tight as a shackle. I tried to stand up and run, but I feared that I would drag along my mother's corpse with me. All I could do was stare down at the body, anticipating what other horrors she was going to do to me._

_After what felt like an eternity, my mother slowly turned her head, staring up at me with her glossy eyes. "Why, Danielle? Why did you leave me here to die?"_

_I opened my mouth to answer, but I couldn't force my voice to utter a simple squeak. My body was trembling with fear as my breathing quickened along with my heart rate. The entire room began to dissipate leaving me and my undead mother as the only figures left. My gaze never left my mother's deathly, unblinking stare. My mind was screaming 'Get out of here!' but, my body wouldn't react._

_Right when my mother was about to utter something else, I ripped my hand from her grasp, and scrambled to my feet. Whirling around on my heel, I darted towards the door, and raced down the hall. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure she hadn't gotten up and started after me like a mindless zombie. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, longer than what I was used to; in fact, I was sure that I passed more doorways and pictures than from what I remembered in my childhood. It was if I was running in a circle._

_As soon as I entered the living room, I bumped into something else._

_"Hey there, princess," a young male voice spoke from above me._

_I took a few steps back and glanced up. It was a tall man in a blue military uniform. He had shaggy, dark brown hair and gleaming green eyes. However, his uniform was torn and riddled with a few bullet holes, surrounded by rust colored blood, and his skin was as white as a sheet. My eyes never left his paled face as I continued to slowly back away from his towering figure surrounded by clouded darkness._

_"D-Dad?" I stammered, not taking my gaze off the man._

_His ominous grin sent goose-bumps crawling over my skin. "Ready to play?"_

_With that, he slowly reached his pale hands out to grab me; however, I raced around him and tried to make it to the front door. Sure, as a child, I would've gladly played with my father; however, this wasn't my dad, this wasn't my house, this was something far worse. Like in the hallway, the door seemed to stretch for miles, but then, I came close, and reached out my hand to grasp the knob. Sadly, I wasn't quick enough, and my undead father grasped me around the waist and slowly pulled me back forward._

_"You can't escape, Danielle," he chimed._

_I glanced back at my father's looming figure as he pulled me towards him and my zombie mother. Darkness began to fill the room as I struggled to make my way towards the front door, which seemed to back away further from me as it were a taunting gesture. A evil chuckling laugh came from my mother and father behind me, while I was slowly reeled backwards. Even as I glanced over my shoulder at them, I could see a pair of wide, menacing grins, while an ominous, dark aura surrounded the outline of their figures._

**...**

Snapping my eyes open, I gasped and bolted straight up in bed. My bangs were pasted to my sweaty brow, while my gazed was locked on the white wall in front of me. I wasn't sure how long I was sitting up in total shock, while trying to steady my breathing, but visions of my nightmare began to flash in my mind, no matter how many times I tried to banish them.

"Dani?" a childish voice spoke, breaking through my thoughts.

Startled, I glanced over to find Alphonse staring at me with those red, soul-fire eyes that lingered in the suit of armor. I stared at the armored boy for a while longer, and then scanned my surroundings. Memories began flooding back into my mind, while I was trying to rationalize the hellish vision I had fallen into.

"Are you all right?" Alphonse inquired.

"Yeah..." I answered. I paused to slump over, and I ran a hand across my face and through my hair. "Just a nightmare."

"I could tell," the young boy's voice rang, echoing through the hollow armor. "You were grunting a lot. Was it bad?"

"It was a nightmare," I answered flatly. "What do _you_ think?"

"I..." Alphonse replied, a hint of hurt in his voice, "I was just wondering..."

Normally, I would bite Edward's head off like that when he asked a simple question, and Al wasn't as thick-skinned as Ed. I must've hurt the poor boy's feelings when I snapped at him, because he wasn't used to me treating _him_ like mere trash.

Sighing, I flopped back down on the bed. "Sorry, Al. I'm just tired..."

Al hummed thoughtfully. "It's okay, Dani."

Silence fell in the room, as I tried to slip back into the world of sleep, hoping that the nightmare wouldn't restart once I entered. I wasn't sure how long I was lying in bed, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't force myself to sleep, which actually was rare since I used to fall back asleep easily. Groaning in annoyance, I rolled onto my side. However, I raised an eyebrow noticing that the bed across the room was empty. I continued to stare at the vacant bunk while I propped myself up on my elbow.

"Where'd Ed run off to?" I asked to no one in particular.

"He said something about going off to see Winry," Alphonse answered.

"Who?"

"A friend of ours. She's the one fixing Ed's automail."

I mouthed an 'O'. Well, at least Edward was getting his limbs fixed before we headed back to headquarters; I mean, he looked like something out of a freak show when I saw him last night. To think that all this time Edward had automail prosthetics. Although, I still couldn't quite figure out why he was called the _Full_metal Alchemist. Hell, it was more like _Half-_metal if you asked me...

Releasing a deep yawn, I tossed over on my other side, facing the wall. Maybe staring at nothing but a blank, white wall will trigger my boredom and cause me to feel more drowsy. That way I can regain the sleep I lost form staying up all night and decoding Edward's notes. Hey, they were encrypted as a travel log, and pretty tough to make out.

This marked one day down in this little farmhouse... who knows how many left.

**~ . . * . . ~**

Well, I _thought_ I was going to get the extra hours of sleep I missed, but, in the end, I was awoken about half an hour later by Mrs. Rockbell calling everyone together for breakfast. Seriously? I just fell back asleep. Couldn't I at least have another hour?

Groaning, I pulled the sheet over my head and curled up under the covers. Closing my eyes, I tried to fall back into the arms of sleep; however, that was more difficult than I thought considering the fact that the light from down the hall illuminated the room dimly, and the smell of breakfast wafted down the hallway, causing my stomach to rumble, begging to be fed.

Sitting up in bed, I yawned and stretched my aching arms. Turning to the side, I slid off the mattress, letting my bare feet come in contact with the cold wooden floor. As I made my way out of the room, I shut my eyes tight from the sudden light entering my vision, then I slowly opened them back open and continued staggering down the hall.

Once I entered the room, which I presumed was the dining room, I spotted Ed at one end of the small wooden table, poking at his food with his fork. He pouted as he continued to impatiently play with his food, and then he sighed and set the silverware down.

"Granny," he whined, "can I eat _now_?"

As if on cue, the little elderly woman appeared in the dining room. "Not until everyone is at the table, Ed."

"She's right, Edward," a deep male voice added.

At that moment, a tall, burly man strode up beside the small elderly woman. He was practically balding, save for the small, blonde curl on top of his head, matching his thick, moustache. It took a moment for my mind to process -actually, it took more than a few moments since my mind was still 'waking up'-, until I realized that it was Major Armstrong, the Strong Arm Alchemist. (I gotta admit that there was absolutely no creativeness when it came to his State Alchemist Title, and I'm sure I wasn't the first one who thought about it...)

"If you're a gentleman, you'd wait until everyone arrives at the table," the slightly balding major continued.

The blonde alchemist groaned in annoyance, and slouched back in his chair. I was sure that if he had his other arm, he would've crossed both in front of his chest right about now.

Pinako Rockbell sighed and shook her head, and then she glanced up, her small eyes landing on me. "Oh, Daniel." Then she smiled, causing the wrinkles at her cheeks to fold back. "Good morning, dear."

I yawned, and then made my way over to the table, seating myself across from Edward. "'Morning..."

The chair creaked as I slid it back under the table, and then I stared down at the food on the plate. Eggs and Sausage; a typical breakfast, and something I was used to during my childhood. Yep, I was back in Resembool. Almost every morning, my mom would cook up some eggs and sausage; most of the time it was uncommon for both since we didn't have much money.

"Sleep well, dear?" Pinako inquired.

"Huh? Oh, yeah..." I answered groggily, only hearing half of the question before it processed through my half-asleep mind.

As the silence lingered for a few moments, Pinako walked over to the end of the hall. "Winry! Breakfast is ready!"

"I'll pass!" a female voice called back.

"Winry, you need something to eat," the old woman chided. "Take a break."

There was a sigh, and after a few moments, a pair of footsteps echoed down the hall. Afterwards, a slender girl around my age emerged from the hall. She had long, platinum blonde hair tucked under a green bandanna with loose strands hanging on either side of her face, while her bangs fell casually from right to left across her forehead. She sparkling sapphire blue eyes, filled with intelligence; and she owned a small bust. Both of her ears were pierced with two identical pairs of hoop earrings on her earlobe, while on her right ear were cuff studs. She slipped her arms out of a beige jumpsuit, leaving the top-half open and tied around her waist, revealing a black tube top and her bare midriff.

So, this was Edward's mechanic? I was expecting someone older, not some teen like me. Of course, I'm sure people were expecting the same out of me when they heard my name and saw me for the first time. Actually... scratch that. They _never_ recognized me because I wasn't as popular and renowned as the Fullmetal Alchemist. Damn whoever started spreading the news about the blonde midget.

"So, Winry," Edward piped up with a sly smirk, as the blonde girl sat down beside him. "How's the automail coming along?"

"It's still in the works," Winry answered simply. "Just another all-nighter."

Edward frowned, obviously disappointed, and then he turned his attention back down towards his plate. Once Pinako sat down at the table, along with Major Armstrong, they finally allowed us to start our meal; of course, Edward practically wolfed half of his down in only a few seconds. Geez, when he was practically whining for food, he must've been starving.

"Take it easy, Elric," I remarked flatly. "It's not like you're food's going to jump off the plate. Although," I continued, taking a sip of milk. "With you chowing down like a rabid dog, you're food is practically splashing over the table."

Edward paused and looked up at me from across the table. There was a long pause as we stared at each other -well, actually, Edward's gaze was more of a death glare, while I just casually sipped my drink. Even the entire dining room grew deathly still almost, as if they were waiting on the Fullmetal boy to say something; of course, I knew well enough that if he opened his mouth to rant, I'd be coated in bits of eggs and sausage.

After what felt like ages, Edward resumed eating his breakfast, at a more even pace this time. I rolled my eyes at him, and then continued munching down on my eggs.

"You sure put Edward in his place, Dani," Pinako remarked with a small smirk. "Maybe you can 'persuade' the boy to drink his milk."

"I AIN'T DRINKING THAT CRAP!" Edward snapped

"Wow, Elric," I spoke with a smirk. "Didn't know you hated cows that much."

There was silence for a few more seconds as Edward glared at me from the corner of his eye, and then he resumed his meal, as if nothing had ever occurred. Okay, something was definitely wrong. Usually the Fullmetal Alchemist snapped back at my snide remarks, which results in us getting into a huge argument with each other. Only one thing could explain all this.

"Are you seriously still pissed off about last night?" I inquired.

Edward didn't reply. Just continued eating in silence.

I sighed and then resumed my own meal. Didn't think that he could hold a grudge against me for something I didn't even do. Well, I _almost_ did it... Of course, after seeing what happened to Ed and Al, I sure was glad that I didn't go through with the whole Human Transmutation. What puzzled me the most was why Edward was so worked up about it.

"So, Daniel," Armstrong piped up, "Will you be staying with the Elric Brothers from now on?"

"Well, I kind of have to," I answered. "I mean, Mustang did partner me up with Fullmetal. The reason why I wasn't here the past few days was that I was busy with other stuff. Hughes just dropped me off last night."

"So..." a light female voice inquired from in front of me.

The voice trailed off into silence. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I turned my head to find Edward's mechanic, Winry, prodding her food with her fork as she stared down at her meal. She must've been as half-asleep as I was, especially to not be able to finish her question.

After a while, Winry glanced up at me, but I noticed a faint pink color streak across her cheeks as she looked away slightly. "Um, have you been with the Elric's long?"

"Uh, not really," I answered, still confused about her blushing. "Our Colonel paired us up together about... what was it, Elric? _Four... five_ months ago?"

Of course, he only glanced up at me with that subtle glare still in his fiery golden eyes, and then he continued eating. Sighing, I popped another slice of sausage in my mouth. Of course... I should have known that Edward wasn't going to answer me. I don't even know why I bothered asking him in the first place.

"Well, it was a couple of months ago, that's all I know..." I answered Winry.

The platinum blonde nodded in affirmation, and then continued her meal. Okay, I still don't understand why she was blushing; and, during breakfast, it seemed like every time I glanced over at her, she was looking at me (or rather staring at me before I caught her eye); of course, after that, Winry would hesitate for a minute and then look away. She must've done it a lot... Kinda awkward if you ask me.

As soon as breakfast was through, Winry went straight back to working on Edward's automail, the Fullmetal boy went back to his room, and Armstrong, Pinako, and I cleared the table. I would've gone back to my room and jumped back into bed, but now that I was up and full of energy, there was absolutely no way I could regain the hours of sleep I desperately craved.

"So, Daniel, is it?" Pinako asked, while I helped her wash the dishes.

"Yeah," I answered. "But, I go by Dani most of the time."

"I see..." the old woman mused. "Since you're with Ed, I assume that you're a State Alchemist?"

Well, anyone could figure _that_ out, especially since I was working with one of the most well-known Alchemists in the country. I couldn't help but let a proud smile cross my face. "Yep. The Tremor Alchemist. The _second_ youngest State Alchemist in history."

"Never heard of you..."

Well that certainly was an arrow to the knee. I mean, didn't old ladies like her make up the gossip-spreading part of the population. One would think that she would tell all kinds of stories and spread different news to all her friends and neighbors. But, seriously... she hadn't even heard the slightest hint about _another_ young State Alchemist.

Placing my hand on top of the counter, I managed to pull myself back up off the floor out of my brief depression. "Seriously? I've been with the Elrics for months, and you've never heard stories?"

Pinako didn't answer me for a moment; instead, she dried the last dish and placed it on the stack nonchalantly. "Nope," she answered, drying her boney hands with the rag. "I haven't even heard about what those Elric Brothers have been getting themselves into."

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I continued to stare at the woman. This certainly was news. I mean, with the rumors about a young powerful Alchemist wandering around, one of his stories would have _at_ _least_ got spread around, like the one in Lior.

"Have they never told you?" I inquired, standing up straight.

The old woman chuckled and picked up her pipe from the counter. "Are you kidding? Those boys won't tell either me or Winry anything." She paused to puff on her pipe, then sighed. "Sometimes I worry about those boys."

So, the Elrics never told either Pinako or their own mechanic about what's been going on in their lives. From what I heard, Edward had been a State Alchemist for almost four years now, and he had _never_ told the Rockbell's about the trouble he had been getting into? It didn't seem very Edward-like, especially since he likes boasting about himself most of the time.

Not knowing what else to do or say, I walked out of the kitchen. "Thanks for breakfast, Mrs. Rockbell."

Pinako replied with a simple 'you're welcome, dear', while I turned the corner and headed down the hall to my room. Well, I couldn't necessarily call it _my_ room since apparently I _had_ to share it with that cocky little blonde alchemist. I clenched my hand and furrowed my eyebrows, thinking about the events that occurred in the bedroom the night before, and just this morning he was still worked up about it!

Releasing a deep breath, I placed my hand on the knob and pushed the door open. Sure enough, both of the Elric Brothers were still in the room. Well, Al couldn't really get up and walk around anyway, and Ed was sprawled out on his bed with his head buried in his pillow. Rolling my eyes at him, I took my own pillow and threw it across the room at the Fullmetal Alchemist.

Of course, this caused him to jump up, and whirl around to face me. "WHAT THE HELL?"

"Just making sure you're awake," I answered nonchalantly as I grabbed my jacket and a set of clothes.

That earned me a growl from the blonde alchemist, as I turned and walked out of the room, carrying my bundle of clothes. I could feel him glaring daggers at my back, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with him. If he was going to hold a grudge against me for something I didn't even do, then he could just live with it.

After changing out of my night clothes and slipping into my typical attire, I strode out of the bathroom and down the hall towards my shared room. Of course, on the way, I noticed the platinum blonde mechanic exiting one of the rooms with a handful of tools and metal-like appendages. She steadied the load in one arm while she reached back to close the door behind her. Of course, upon shutting the door and trying to balance her load, she yelped as a few pieces of automail dropped from her arms.

"Here," I spoke, walking up to her and bending down to pick up the metal limb, "let me get that." Standing back up, I held the prosthetic out to her with a small smile. "It would probably be best to make two trips, especially with all _that_ you're carrying."

The girl only stared at me for a moment as a light pink brushed across her face. Her deep blue eyes blinked every so often, but her gaze never left mine. After a few moments of waiting, I waved the metal limb in front of her face.

"Hello~?" I inquired. "Earth to Ed's mechanic..."

The girl quickly shook her head, brought back to reality from her daze. "Uh... sorry..." she apologized with a sheepish smile, and the pink never left her cheeks. Then, she took the piece of metal from my hand and placed it on the pile in her arms. "Thanks..."

She trailed off for a moment, but I filled her in. "Dani."

"Dani..." she repeated. "That's... that's a nice name."

I blinked in confusion. "Uh, thanks... I guess..."

"Well, uh," Ed's mechanic spoke, adjusting the load in her arms. "I better not waste any more of your time. Plus I've got Ed's automail to work on." She walked across the room and placed her hand on a knob. As she twisted it and pushed the door open, she turned to me and smiled. "Well... see you later, Dani."

I only stared at her, still bewildered about what just occurred.

Suddenly, the pink on the girl's cheeks morphed to a much darker shade as she stammered for a minute. "I, uh... I didn't mean it in a stalker kind of way, uh... What I mean is... I... uh..." She looked around the hallway, as if it would help her think up of something, but then turned back to me. "N-Never mind! Forget I said anything!"

With that, she rushed inside the room and slammed the door shut. I was left there staring at where the platinum blonde was before she retreated from, blinking in confusion. If there was a moment where something unexplainable occurs and all you can think of is 'What the hell just happened?'_This_ moment would've been one of them.

"That was... awkward..." I mused.

Shrugging the thought off, I turned and walked down the hall, and strode towards the room I shared with the Elrics. I wasn't surprised to find Edward still in the room lying on the bed gazing up at the ceiling. Ignoring him, I walked over to my bed and opened my bag.

"What're you doing, Dani?" Alphonse's child-like voice echoed through the large suit of armor.

"I'm gonna go outside and practice some alchemy," I answered, pulling my notebook out of the bag. "And, no," I added, glancing over my shoulder at Edward. "I'm _not_ going to try a 'double human transmutation'."

The blonde alchemist only replied with a 'Hmph' and rolled over on his side with his back to me. It's not like I was even expecting a verbal reply from him anyway. Releasing a small sigh, I stood up straight and walked out of the room, closing the door behind me. Even though that performing the double human transmutation would have made me even more renowned than Edward Elric, it was still a risk; so the only other option would be to practice my alchemy skills one step at a time.

**~ . . * . . ~**

After laying out the supplies I needed, I flipped through my notebook, examining each type of the basic elements and array structures. After double checking my notes I nodded with a satisfied smile and closed my notebook, laying it down by my side. I slowly etched a transmutation circle in the dirt around a log, ensuring that the shapes within the array were proportional; then, I placed my hands on the edge of the circle, transmuting the piece of firewood into a carving of a horse.

Although it wasn't an artistic piece of work, it was still a successful transmutation. Picking my notebook back up, I flipped to the page I had dog-eared and checked off 'wood transmutation' on the list. All that was left was transmuting earth and rock and a few different elements. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, then glanced over at the pile of transmuted statues and figurines I had crafted from wood and paper. To think I had been outside for who knows how many hours just honing my alchemy skills. There was so much to practice that i couldn't complete all of it in one day!

Releasing a deep sigh, I slouched against the tree behind me and gazed out into the wide open area known as Resembool.

"You sure got a lot done," a male voice spoke from above me.

Glancing up, I found none other than the Fullmetal Alchemist staring down at me. I returned his gaze with a scowl and crossed my arms, glancing away from him. What? Did he actually believe that I was _trying_ to finish what I started last night? After realizing the consequences, I wasn't going to step close to crossing _that_ line.

"Yes, Elric," I answered in as-a-matter-of-factly tone. "I've been practicing all afternoon."

"Hey, just so we're clear, I didn't come out to spy on you," Edward retorted. "Granny said that I needed to stop lying around the house. So, just get used to me hanging around outside."

I rolled my eyes at him, but then a devious idea sparked in my mind as I etched a transmutation circle on the tree behind me. This was going to be my best trick yet, and the blonde alchemist sure deserved it. Edward only stared at me puzzled as I etched the last shapes in the array.

"Umm, Dani?" he inquired, attempting to peek over my shoulder. "What're you-"

Of course, he was cut off by the tree limb snagging his flesh ankle, and he gave a yelp of surprise as he was lifted into the air, dangling upside down. Edward pushed his light blue tank top below his waist, trying not to let it fall over his head. He glared at me, while I only laughed and gave him a playful push, causing him to swing back and forth.

"Hey, you said that you were going to 'hang around' outside," I spoke in between laughs.

After that, I picked up the transmuted pieces of paper and stored them away in my notebook. Then, I sauntered towards the little farmhouse, giving Edward another playful push as he swung back and forth from the tree limb. If he had another arm, he would probably cross it in front of his chest while glaring daggers at me, of course, he had to keep his shirt down and not expose his skinny bare stomach to the world. Not that there was anyone walking around in this wasteland.

I was only halfway towards the little house then a flash of light blue alchemic light surrounded me. Before I could glance back at the Fullmetal Alchemist, the ground beneath me formed into a giant sink hole. I shrieked as I was swallowed up in the mud, but, thankfully, it wasn't deep enough to reach over my head.

Climbing out of the pit, I set my notebook down, not wanting to risk it getting damaged. Edward's amused laugher echoed from behind me, and I turned around, shooting a glare at him. Edward only continued tp laugh at me as if it were some kind of act.

"Very clever, Elric," I spoke, glancing down at my lower body which was now covered in mud. "You used the moisture in the ground to transmute a giant mud puddle. Of course," I added, sneakily slipping my hands into my pockets and drawing out my gloves, "you probably couldn't do much with all that blood rushing to your head. So, allow me to lend you a _hand_."

With that, I whirled around to face the blonde and slammed my hands down on the ground. With the array already etched on my gloves, I transmuted a giant rock hand, which proceeded to grab Edward and rip him from his former place in the tree, pinning him to the ground. I smirked triumphantly as I watched the blonde squirm underneath. Obviously without his metal arm, he couldn't clap his hand and instantly transmute something.

However, I did notice him grab a stick of chalk I had laid out, but before I could race over and snatch it from him, Edward had already placed his hand on the array, freeing himself from the rock arm. I stood there frozen as Edward broke off the tree limb that originally held him upside down; then, he placed it down on the ground, transmuting it into a long wooden pole.

Standing up, he locked his glare onto me, and then twirled the pole in his left hand. Releasing a yell for a battle cry, Edward charged at me, swinging the pole. I ducked dodging his blows, and then eventually caught the pole in my hands. The two of us stood there, grunting as we tried to pull the pole from the others grip; a constant game of tug-o-war.

Eventually, I slammed my leg down on the wooden pole, snapping it in half, and then I leapt onto the blonde pinning him to the ground. The two of us rolled around in the grass, alternating who was on top of the other, and wrestled for a good bit. We even managed to tumble into the mud pit a few times, coating ourselves in mud from head to toe. Of course, the only thing that mattered at the moment was showing Edward that I could easily kick his ass whether it was in combat or alchemy.

Suddenly, Edward was lifted off of me, and a split second afterwards, I was grabbed by my shirt and lifted off the ground with ease. As soon as I noticed that the Fullmetal boy and I were dangling from two burly hands, we both glanced up to find Major Armstrong, who didn't look too amused.

"What is the meaning of this?" he inquired in a harsh deep voice. "Why are you boys fighting?"

Normally, one would be confused by someone mistaking their gender, but because I was hiding the fact I was female, I allowed it to slide. "Well, Major, I was out here minding my own business until Captain-Fullmetal-Cocky here showed up and started attacking me with a wooden stick."

"_You_ transmuted a giant hand and pinned me to the ground!" Edward retorted.

"_You_ sunk me in a mud pit!" I snapped back, trying to swing my legs forward and kick him.

"_You_hung me by my ankles from a tree!"

"All right, you two! Enough!" Pinako's raspy voice called out as she walked up to Armstrong. I must admit that it was strange glancing down at her from the height Armstrong held me at. The old woman sighed and blew out some smoke from puffing on her pipe. "Honestly, you two are too old to behave like children. But, if you two are going to _act_ like children, you're going to be treated like ones."

Edward and I stared down at her with equal puzzled expressions, and then we exchanged glances; however, there wasn't much to exchange since it was the exact same look.

"No supper for either of you," Pinako announced, placing her free hand on her hip.

"What?" I shouted in disbelief.

"But Granny..." Ed added.

"No 'buts' Edward," Pinako Rockbell answered sternly. She paused to glance out at the red and orange sky. "It's getting late." Then she turned back to look up at us. "Go wash yourselves up at the spicket and get ready for bed."

"All right," the blonde alchemist and I groaned at the same time.

After that, Pinako turned around and walked back towards the two-storied farmhouse, while Major Armstrong set me and Edward down on the ground. He crossed him arms as he stared down at us, like a father would stare down his children after they had caused trouble. The blonde alchemist and I flinched a bit from his gaze, and then we turned around and mad our way towards the water spicket beside the house.

Of course, as we drew closer to it, Edward and I ended up racing over to the tap valve pushing each other to the side as we attempted to get ahead of the other. No matter what was going on, it was always a competition between the two of us. Ed and I ended reaching the faucet at the same time, trying to push the other away.

"Ladies first, Elric," I hissed, attempting to shove him away.

"As long as the Major is here," Edward answered, pushing me back with the same amount of force, "you're _not_ a 'lady'."

"He may be here in Resembool," I growled, "but he's not near us."

"Actually," Armstrong's deep voice bellowed from behind us. "I _am._"

Edward and I froze as we glanced over out shoulders at the giant, burly man. Not wanting to cause another scene and receive a severe punishment, we twisted the handle on the water spout, letting the water run from the faucet. We took turns cupping the water in out hands and washing the mud off our faces, and then individually washed the mud off our bodies.

In the end, we managed to clear the mud off us, leaving a few dark stains on our clothes. After letting ourselves dry out on the porch, Pinako allowed us inside and shooed us to the bedroom. Of course, we had to get dressed in our pajamas in separate rooms, especially me, for fear of exposing my gender to anyone who dared to walk in on us.

All night, the dark bedroom was filled with the low growling of Edward's stomach followed by a low groan escaping from his throat. My stomach would sometimes chime in with his as the smell of dinner would waft down the hall into our room as if it were mocking us about our restriction of a meal that night. Alphonse reprimanded the two of us for even getting into a fight, but we only replied with a 'yeah' and then tried to fall asleep.

**~ . . * . . ~**

Edward and I started the next day off as the last ones to wake up. Apparently, our stomachs begging for food had kept us up all night that we couldn't force our minds away from the image of a delicious meal laid out in front of us. Both of us walked into the dining room like mindless beings, and only replied with 'uh-huh's as we seated ourselves down at the table.

Well, we regained the energy we needed from breakfast. Pinako had to call us out a few times for wolfing down our food and making a mess on our plates. Honestly, making a mess and mannerisms weren't my forte anyway; besides, I had been starving all night! As soon as breakfast was finished, Armstrong and Pinako cleared the table and washed dishes while Edward and I retreated back to our room to change into our daily attires. Of course, being the boy he was, Edward just slipped on a pair of shorts, leaving his tank-top.

As I exited the bathroom with my clothes in hand, I noticed Edward being dragged out of the room his mechanic was in, and had the door slammed shut behind him. I shook my head and sighed. He had bothered the poor girl enough already, was he seriously _that_ impatient? Come to think of it, why was I even asking myself that question? Of course Edward was impatient!

Sighing, I shook my head and walked down the hall passed him. Deciding to take a break from practicing Alchemy, especially after the events that occurred the day before, I assisted the Fullmetal boy with dragging his younger brother outside, along with the pile of parts laid out on the tarp beside him. The black and white dog, which I had seen at the cemetery with Ed a few days before, followed us outside, and sat itself down on the grass beside Edward as he propped Al against a barrel.

Releasing a deep sigh, Edward flopped down on the grass, gazing up at the thick puffy white clouds rolling across the sky. I sat beside the dog, stroking its thick fur while I gazed down at it.

"It feels like it's taking forever!" Edward whined, breaking the silence among us.

"Calm down, Brother," Alphonse spoke calmly. "Winry said it would take three days to fix your automail."

"I know, I know..." the blonde alchemist spoke with a sigh. "But now that I know there's a hint about the Philosopher's Stone sitting around in Central library... GAH! I'm just so impatient!"

"You're always impatient, Elric," I remarked, glancing over at him.

Edward only shot me a quick glare and then gazed back up at the sky. Seriously? he was still pissed off about the double human transmutation? Well, either that or he was upset about that fight yesterday, which was _not_ my fault either.

Suddenly, the farmhouse door opened, causing the dog to roll over on its belly and bark. The three of us glanced up to find the platinum blonde mechanic racing down the porch steps and over to us. Her wide smile never left her face as she held up an automail arm as if it were a trophy.

"It's done!" she chimed. "Ready to try it on, Ed?"

"You bet!" the blonde alchemist answered, scrambling to his feet and racing inside.

The platinum blonde smiled and followed the Edward inside, carrying the automail limb as if it were a delicate piece of porcelain. I watched the two of them disappear inside, and then I sighed.

"So, now what?" I asked, to no one in particular.

"Well," Alphonse began. "Winry and Granny have to attach Ed's automail to the ports in his stubs. Then, he can come back out here and put me back together."

I stared at all in confusion as I scanned over his armor with the gaping hole in the side that was covered by the white tarp. After a few minutes, Edward burst out the door, with the sun glimmering off a metal right arm and left leg.

"Edward!" the platinum blonde mechanic shouted from the doorway. "Were you even listening to me?"

Of course, the blonde alchemist ignored her and raced over to us. His grin spread from ear to ear as he placed his hands on his hips triumphantly. "Good as new!" he cheered.

I scanned over his body, now taking in what his body really looked like underneath the red coat he always wore. Now that I thought more about it, I finally realized why Edward grip was so rough when we made that deal back in Lior. It was because of his automail arm.

Smirking, I crossed my arms and glanced up at the boy. "I must admit, Elric, you're an even bigger freak with those metal limbs."

Edward shot me another quick glare, and then turned to his brother with a smile. "Now, it's your turn, Al."

With that, Edward unlatched the tarp on Al's body and pulled out the pieces inside. He double checked to make sure that he didn't miss any, and then he organized the pieces of armor on the tarp beside his younger brother. Major Armstrong strode up beside me, while the two of us watched Edward at work.

"Those sure are a lot of pieces..." I remarked, gazing from the large bits to the tiny fragments.

"Are you sure you can fix him?" Armstrong inquired.

"Of course I'm sure," Edward answered. "You just have to know the trick."

With that, Edward removed Alphonse's helmet and pointed to a blood stained array planted inside of the armor's back. I recalled Edward revealing his brother's Blood Seal the night he called me out for attempting to perform Human Transmutation, and I remembered him saying something about using it as a 'soul anchor'.

"You see this seal?" Edward inquired. "That array is what hold's Al's soul to the armor. So, I have to be very careful not to give it the slightest scratch."

Man, to think that the blood seal was _that_ sensitive. Well, it made perfect sense why it was delicate. It was like a piece of string connecting the younger Elric's soul to the armor, and the slightest damage to the string could send Alphonse to... well, wherever soul's went to.

After setting Al's helmet back in place, Edward clapped his hands, sending that all too familiar high pitched ring through the air, and then he slammed his hands against his brother's armors. Light blue alchemic light radiated from the armor, while a blast of wind kicked up. After a few moments, Alphonse was standing on his own two feet, flexing his leather fingers and bending his steel joints.

Edward smiled, proud of his success at transmuting his brother to normal. "There, now let's test it out."

"All right," Alphonse answered.

With that, the two brothers rushed down the hill and proceeded to spar with one another. Armstrong, Pinako Rockbell, and I stood by the front porch, observing the two boys as they dodged punches and swung their legs around for a kick, with Edward having to back flip a few times just to doge his younger brother's moves.

Pinako puffed on her pipe and then blew out a mist of smoke. "Things will start to get quiet again without those boys."

"Don't they ever come back once in a while?" I inquired.

"Only for maintenance," Pinako answered. "It's never much for a visit."

I hummed thoughtfully, and then turned my attention back towards the two brothers. Alphonse began throwing punches at Edward, who only swiftly dodged them.

"What about you, Daniel?" Mrs. Rockbell inquired. "Do you ever stop home to visit every so often?"

There was an aching pain in my chest at the mention of home. Even though I ran away a year ago to become a State Alchemist, I didn't become one until the following year. That was when I was staying in Central with the Hughes family, because I was too ashamed to come back home like a snake in the grass.

"Well..." I answered. "Truth be told, I'm actually from Resembool. Of course, I lived far southeast from the actual town though."

"Ah, I see. Stuck in the middle of all those plantation fields?" Pinako inquired.

I nodded. "It was a long trip to the marketplace and back, that was for sure."

"Do you ever stop by to see your family?"

A lump began to form in my throat, and I gripped my sleeve with my hand and looked down trying not to break down in tears. It had become simple for me to stop my flowing tears, since I was in the military. Let's just say it was my own special technique.

"Sometimes…" I muttered as an answer.

As soon as I knew I wouldn't break down, I glanced back up and watch the boy finish their spar. Alphonse had knocked Edward down to the ground, which was no surprise to me, since Al was so much large and made out of armor, compared to his older brother who was only half his size. Mrs. Rockbell called out to the boys saying that she was going to get supper started.

Edward, Alphonse, and I stayed outside for the rest of the afternoon, gazing up at the sky.

The blonde alchemist inhaled deeply and then released a sigh of relief. "It sure is good to have a pair of working limbs now."

"Yeah," I spoke with a smirk. "I bet if you had them during out fight yesterday, you would've done _much_ better."

Edward scoffed. "I'd still beat you though. Need I remind you of our _first_ spar?"

"I lasted a good five minutes," I retorted. "Besides, you tripped me at the end."

The blonde alchemist didn't snap back like I expected him to. Instead, he just rolled his eyes and glanced away. Well, I wouldn't blame him for not wanting to get in trouble and lose our supper privilege _again_. After not gaining any sleep the night before, I sure didn't want to go through _that _torture again.

**~ . . * . . ~**

As the dark night sky dotted with stars rolled in, I found myself scrubbing the last dish dry and then placing it on top of the other stacks of dishes. Releasing a sigh, I wiped the sweat from my brow and then walked out of the kitchen.

"Hey, Mrs. Rockbell," I called out, "I'm done with the..."

I stopped my sentence as soon as I saw Alphonse standing beside the plush, green sofa where Edward lay snoring, rather loudly I might add. Slowly striding over to them, sat down on the edge of the sofa by Edward's feet and stared down at him.

"Is he _asleep_?" I inquired in a soft whisper. Then, I proceeded to poke his half-revealed stomach. "He looks more like he's drunk..."

The blonde alchemist groaned and places his flesh hand over his stomach where I was poking him. I must admit that Edward looked much better when he was asleep, especially since I didn't have to see what cocky smirk on his face.

Alphonse sighed and shook his head. "Ed sleeping with his tummy out..."

Pinako chuckled and walked up beside Alphonse. "It's almost like _you're_ the older one, Al."

"Well, he can be a handful sometimes," Alphonse answered with a small chuckle. "He and Dani both."

"Hey! What's _that_ supposed to mean?" I asked roughly, trying my hardest not to yell.

Alphonse only chuckled and shook his head. Groaning, I crossed my arms and slouched against the back of the sofa. Seriously, _I_ was only a handful when Edward was pushing my buttons, which occurred a lot, and Al had to mediate our little spats. Hey, it was Al's choice to nanny Edward and I, if he wanted too, he could just let our fights become more violent.

"So, how old are you boys now?" Pinako inquired.

"Ed is fifteen," Alphonse inquired. "I'm fourteen."

Mrs. Rockbell nodded understandingly, and then she turned to me. "What about _you,_ Daniel?"

"I'm," I began, but stopped short, realizing that the Major was still awake and may be in another room, or somewhere in earshot. "_Eight_een," I answered, "... and a half."

Pinako chuckled. "I assume the _half_ is important."

I smirked proudly. "Yeah. I've got a couple more months."

At that point, Edward's mechanic entered the room carrying a quilt. Quietly stepping towards the couch, she draped the blanket over the Fullmetal boy, and then sat down on the arm of the sofa.

A small smile played on her lips as she gazed down at the sleeping teen. "It's hard to believe that someone as young as Ed could be used as a human weapon. It's almost funny, especially when he's asleep like this."

I stared across the sofa at the platinum blonde girl. Sure State Alchemists were classified as 'human weapons' but I never saw it that way, especially not now. Back during the Civil War when Alchemists were sent into the battle field, they were known as 'human weapons' but now, they were high ranking military officers... right?

"Granny... Winry..." Al mused, his gentle child-like voice sounding like he was on the edge of crying. "Thank you."

"What's with the formality, Al?" Winry inquired, glancing up at the armored boy.

"It's just..." the younger Elric began, "I'm just grateful to you guys for welcoming us... like we're family."

That struck a chord. Man, a lot of my nerves had been pulled in the past few days here in Resembool. Maybe it was just the memories of my childhood flooding back into my mind. Of course, as I gazed around at Winry and Mrs. Rockbell, I realized that they had welcomed me with open arms as well. Even though I had to share a room with Edward, I at least got to sleep somewhere other than the floor or outside. Pinako was like the grandmother I never knew and Winry, although she was kind of strange and blushed a lot in front of me, she was like the sister I never had.

"I know Ed never says it," Alphonse continued, "but I know that he feels the same."

As I stared down at the golden blonde alchemist's sleeping body, I could feel the hot tears prick the back of my eyes. I'm pretty sure they were fresh ones mixed in with the ones I held back hours ago. Not wanting to break down and make a fool of myself, I stood up off the couch with my head hung.

"Well, I'm heading off to bed..." I spoke, faking a yawn. "G'night, you guys."

With that, I strode out of the room and down the dark hall. Upon reaching the room, I plopped myself down on the edge of my bed and sighed. _That_ sure was a close call. If neither Al nor the Rockbells could sense it, then they didn't have to worry about pitying me about anything. Of course, I began to feel a wave of exhaustion come over me, and I kicked off my boots, letting them lay beside the bed.

Sure it was more difficult to hold back tears, especially for females who are known to be the more emotional ones compared to men, but if I trained myself enough, I could manage to stop my urge to shed any tears. I had been doing it for almost two years now, and if I was going to cry, I wasn't going to allow anyone to see.

**~ . . * . . ~**

"Dani..." a gentle childlike voice echoed from above me.

Slowly opening my eyes, I noticed a bulky metal body hovering above me with glowing red eyes. Staring up at the figure, I blinked a few times, until my vision focused, revealing the younger Elric Brother leaning over my bedside.

"It's time to get up," the boy continued.

Groaning, I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. "Wha..." I began, but was cut off by a yawn. "What time is it?"

"Early," Alphonse answered. "The sun is just starting to rise."

"Seriously?" I moaned. "Why did Ed decide to leave first thing in the morning?"

Al only shrugged, and then left the room, allowing me some privacy to get dressed and pack my things. Leaving my white T-shirt on, I slipped out of my sweat pants and into my dark green slacks. After slipping into my jacket and adjusting my cap on my head, I packed away my clothes and other belongings. Of course, when it came to making the bed and folding it back into it's original couch-like position, I had a little difficulty.

"Daniel?" a raspy voice spoke on the other side of the door, followed by a knock. "Are you decent?"

"Yeah," I answered, trying to hold back the urge to transmute the piece of furniture into something else.

Taking that as permission to enter, Pinako Rockbell pushed the door open and stepped into the room. "Everyone is waiting outside."

"I know, I know..." I murmured, still trudging to fold the futon back up. "Tell them I'll only be a few more minutes."

Mrs. Rockbell only chuckled and then walked over to me. "Do you need any help?"

"No thanks," I answered. "I can figure it out."

"My, aren't you the independent one," Pinako remarked with a smirk. "Reminds me of another independent youngster I know."

I grunted, pushing the piece of furniture off the ground in attempt to fold it. "Oh yeah? Who?"

"Edward."

At that moment, I dropped the furniture out of disbelief; however, it ended up slamming down on my foot. I shrieked in pain as I hopped around the room, holding my throbbing foot, while murmuring a string of curses under my breath. I eventually landed on the futon, while Pinako stood over me with that sly smirk on her thin lips.

"You can't be serious..." I mumbled, glancing up at her.

Pinako only chuckled. "I've known the Elrics since they were babies. And you, young lady, remind me of Edward Elric."

I scoffed. "There's no way I-" Then, her reply ran through my mind once more, and I quickly sat up. "Wait, did you just call me, 'young lady'?"

"Yes," she answered.

"So, you know then?"

"Daniel..." she mused. Then, cocked an eyebrow. "It isn't really Daniel is it?"

"No," I answered. "It's Dani_elle_."

Pinako smiled. "Much more fitting. But, you see, Danielle, when you're an automail surgeon, you're required to know and understand the basic human structure and anatomy of both males and females. Your underdevelopment," she added poking my chest with her bony finer for emphasis, "threw me off at first. But, when I took a closer look I realized that your figure is much too feminine to be male. With those thick baggy clothes on, you can't tell though."

I chuckled halfheartedly. "Well you're not the only one who's figured it out." Then I smirked remembering how other people like Edward and Hughes figured me out. "Edward learned it the hard way. I'd rather not go into full detail though."

Pinako only laughed. "Well, Edward kind of spilled the beans a bit for me. But don't worry, I haven't told the Major. Now," she added, placing her hands on the side of the futon, let's get you ready. We wouldn't want to keep Edward waiting any longer."

I smiled, and, with Mrs. Rockbells assistance, we both managed to fold the bed back into a sofa. I smiled, seeing as how much easier it was to fold it back when I actually knew what I was doing, and then I shouldered my bag.

"Thanks again, Mrs. Rockbell," I spoke. "For everything."

"Don't mention it, dear," she answered with a smile.

"Oh, you haven't told my identity to..." I trailed off trying to remember her name. "...Ed's mechanic."

"Winry?" Pinako answered. "She's my granddaughter. And, no, I haven't told her yet." Then, the old woman smirked. "I don't think she's even figured it out yet, and she's been studying human anatomy books since she learned how to read."

"Well, I guess it would be okay to tell her now," I spoke.

"No, I wouldn't want to burst her bubble just yet," Pinako answered.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I stared down at the elderly woman in confusion. Why would revealing my true gender to Winry 'burst her bubble'? It didn't quite make any sense.

Mrs. Rockbell only laughed. "She'll figure it out soon enough."

With that, she walked out of the room, and down the hall. Adjusting the strap of the bag on my shoulder, I followed the old woman through the house and outside where Alphonse, Edward, and Major Armstrong stood waiting for me. As my eyes landed on the Fullmetal boy, I could tell that he had been growing impatient.

"It's about time," Edward complained.

"Oh, hush," Pinako chided the boy, tapping her pipe on his head.

The Fullmetal Alchemist groaned and rubbed the top of his head with his hand. I walked down the staircase and stood beside Alphonse, wary not to trip over any of the chickens that pecked the ground around us.

"Well, thanks again, Granny," Edward spoke up.

"Don't mention it," Mrs. Rockbell answered.

Alphonse gasped, and then stood up straight and scanned the farmhouse. "Where's Winry?"

"Where do you think?" Pinako answered, tapping her pipe against the wooden banister. "She stayed up three nights in a row, so I let her sleep in for the day."

That was a shame. As blush-prone and strange as she was, I wanted to see the platinum blonde girl one more time before we left. Maybe she could give me a few pointers about automail, just in case Edward got himself into trouble again.

"That's fine by me," Edward spoke, almost relieved. He slung his suitcase over his shoulder and shoved his free hand into his pocket. "She'd just nag me about my automail. 'Make sure to oil', or, 'check your maintenance', or something like that..."

With that, he turned and began strolling down the dirt trail to the main road. Armstrong followed after him, while I followed Alphonse, who turned around and waved good-bye as he followed the rest of the group.

"Just a minute," Pinako called out. The four of us stopped and turned to face the old woman. "You should stop by sometime and have supper with us."

Edward chuckled. "Yeah, like we'd come all the way out here just to have dinner," he spoke, jokingly of course.

Mrs. Rockbell only smiled, the pipe clenched between her teeth, while the dog sat beside her and wagged its tail as if agreeing with the old woman. I smiled at the two of them, but then I heard the sound of heavy footsteps from the second story.

"Hey... Ed," a groggy voice called out. "Al..."

We glanced up to find Edward's mechanic, Winry, still dressed in her night clothes while her long, blonde hair was frizzy and curled and a few strands stuck out at the top. Her eyes were nearly halfway open as she smiled down at us, and gave a small wave.

"Come back soon, you guys," she added.

Edward blinked as he stared up at her, and then he smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, sure."

"Daniel..." Winry's voice called out, a tint of pink covering her cheeks. "Y-you come back too... okay?"

I glanced up at her with a raised eyebrow, and then I glanced over at Mrs. Rockbell who was only smirked, and stifled a laugh. Come on... was there something I didn't understand, or was it just some inside joke?

Shrugging, I half-smiled up at Winry. "Yeah, okay. See you later."

With that, I turned around and rushed up to my group who was already a few meters down the dirt trail. Once I caught up to them, I glanced over my shoulder back at the farmhouse to find Pinako and her granddaughter still in the same place where we left them. My gaze never left Winry's as we turned the corner, and the little farmhouse disappeared from view.

"That Winry girl sure is strange..." I mused.

Edward chuckled. "You'll get used to it."

I blinked as I stared at the short, blonde alchemist, confused by his sudden mood change. "So, I take it you're not still mad at me?"

"I _was_ yeah," Edward answered. "But, then I realized that being a reckless idiot is just part of your character."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean, huh?" I asked, clenching my fist in irritation.

The Fullmetal Alchemist only laughed as he raced down the trail. I called out to him to slow down, but, obviously he didn't listen. Sighing, I chased after him as we raced down the road towards the train station.

Next stop, Central. Edward has his mind set on figuring out the clues to the Philosopher's Stone, while I myself plan on researching more about the stone. Originally, I didn't care much for it, but now that I understand that it holds more power than imaginable, I have to know _everything _about it, and I wouldn't stop at anything until I had it.

* * *

**PHEW! It's 16 minutes passed midnight on Christmas Eve here!**

**Yay! Christmas is just a day away! \o/ Man, this month sure has flown... and it's strangely been warm... Weird...**

**Again, I want to apologize for the long wait you guys. I have been an unfaithful author *bows* I was just getting into the habit of working around my old plotline and trying to fill in the new one.**

**Anyways, I hope you like it. And for those of you who are wondering why Winry was acting so blush-y and girly around Dani well... you'll just have to wait and find out ^w^**

**Until then... RATE AND REVEIW!**


	9. Diving into the Truth

**I'M BACK LIKE I PROMISED!**

**I'm actually going to be writing my butt off all week, and bring you guys a belated Christmas special! Why? Because (1) I have been lazy with updating this story, and I knew that you guys deserved more chapters, and (2) I'm going to be at a convention next weekend, so I'll be sleeping in EVERY DAY that week.**

**Guess what else...? I'M GONNA COSPLAY AS DANI! ^w^ Cool, huh? I'll post some pics on my DevinatART page (link located in profile).**

**So, enough babbling... on with "Fire and Ice"!**

**Disclaimer:**

**Claimer: I own my beloved, low-key, lone wolf, sassy OC Dani! ^.^**

* * *

**Chapter IX: _Diving into the Truth_**

Thunderous chugging echoed through the valley as the train glided across the tracks. Groups of houses and building began to take form, replacing the vast farmland where we left the day before. Central was a good few hundred miles from the little farming town in the East, and it gave me some times to catch up on some sleep on the train ride. The locomotive had made a few stops in smaller towns to pick up and drop off passengers along the way, but then it was back on track towards Central.

I must admit that it was more difficult to fall asleep or do anything while sitting next to the younger Elric Brother and his cold, steel armor. It's not that I didn't enjoy being beside Alphonse; it was much better than being sandwiched between the window and the muscular Major where Edward sat across from the two of us.

Speaking of the golden haired alchemist... I turned my attention from the window and glance over at him. Yep, he was still grinning excitedly from ear to ear as he pulled out a slip of paper and read it... every ten seconds. Rolling my eyes at him, I glanced back out the window at the passing scenery. At least he was quiet for once.

Apparently, I had thought too soon, because at that moment Edward groaned, breaking the peaceful silence. "I don't know how much longer I can take it. It feels like forever!" He paused to sigh dreamily. "Even know I can just picture reading Dr. Marcoh's notes and discovering the truth about-"

"We get it! We get it!" I snapped, whirling around to face him. "You've said it fifteen million times today! You can't wait to get to Central, blah blah blah, and find more hints about the Corona Stone-"

"_Philosopher's_ Stone!" Edward corrected.

"Whatever!" I retorted.

Sighing in irritation, I slouched back in the wooden bench and crossed my arms. All day last night, and even this morning, Edward's 'eagerness-level' had scaled way passed the top. Did he even sleep a wink last night? I wouldn't think so. He probably woke up every five minutes just to look at that note and then go on another spiel about the 'Philosopher's Stone'.

"Look," I began again more calmly. "I understand that getting the stone is important to you guys, but don't you think that it may be _another_ false lead? Like in Lior?"

Edward flinched at the remark, probably disturbed by memories from the 'God-worshipping' town. Then, his golden eyes narrowed, and he furrowed his eyebrows, that fiery spark of determination lit in his golden eyes. "Al and I have been searching for three years now. We've come close so many times. Besides, these notes were from an _expert_ who studied the stone."

Tilting my head in confusion, I raised an eyebrow as I stared at the Fullmetal boy. "An _expert_?"

Edward stared at me in confusion for a minute, but then he mouthed an 'O'. "Right, you weren't here with us. Well, to sum it all up, on our way to Resembool, we met an alchemist, Dr. Tim Marcoh, who did some research on the Stone during the Ishvalan Civil War."

_During the Civil War?_ I repeated in my mind as I rested my elbow on the window sill with my head set against my hand. Man, I was surprised that _anyone_ could get _any_ side job done with all the raging bullets and bloodshed occurring right outside the houses carved out of stone.

"He told us that as soon as he discovered the truth about the Philosopher's Stone," Alphonse continued, "he quit the military and went into hiding, taking shelter in that town and changing his name."

Now _this_ was interesting. This Marcoh guy studies who-knows-how-long about the Philosopher's Stone only to turn his back on the military and run away into hiding. Was there something about this stone that the secrets were so shocking? Well, the Elric Brothers sure were eager to find out what this Marcoh guy found that made him high-tail it out of the military.

"Looks like we've arrived," Armstrong announced, glancing out the window.

The train slowly chugged through the tunnel and then pulled to a stop in the station, releasing a low whistle of steam. Edward cheered as he hopped up from his seat and rushed off the train, not paying any attention to the people he nearly knocked over on his way to the platform. Poor Alphonse had to chase after his eager older brother, apologizing to everyone on his way out for his brother's neglected manners.

I only sighed and then stepped off the train and onto the platform, grabbing mine, as well as the Fullmetal boy's luggage, since he neglected _that_ as well. Then, I followed Major Armstrong as we made our way through the sea of tourists and businessmen. This was the busiest I had ever seen the station, and I'll admit that I nearly got lost in the group of travelers. Hey, the population of Central was at least twice as large as the population back in East City. Well, at least I didn't have to hear Fullmetal's teasing, since I stayed close by the Major's side this time.

Eventually, we caught up with the two Elric Brother's outside of the station, and then began making our way down the sidewalk. Major Armstrong led the way towards the library, while I followed along with Alphonse and Edward.

"Man, we're so close, Al," the Fullmetal boy spoke, the grin never leaving his face.

There he goes again...

"We're actually going to get a hint on the Philosopher's stone!" Edward continued, pumping his fist in the air.

"Yeah," Alphonse chimed in, "and get our bodies back."

Ed smiled dreamily as he laced his fingers behind his head. "I can see it now... unlocking the secrets of the Philosopher's stone, getting an even bigger lead on where it's located..."

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head at the daydreaming blonde as he continued to ramble on about that stone. Like I said, ever since we got on the train he wouldn't shut up about it. As I glanced up though, I discovered that the Major had come to a halt in front of the ruins of a large stone building. The walls had crumbled down into a pile on the ground mixed with dark ashes and planks of broken wood. _This_ was the Central Library?

"...after all these years..." Edward continued as he walked with his brother up to us, "we finally have the secrets..."

"Uh," I spoke, turning to him and pointing at the remains of the library. "Elric..."

Apparently Al had caught my gesture and stood there in shock at the ruins of the building. However, not so much to my surprise, Edward was as oblivious as ever.

"I can just feel it now..." Edward continued as he continued walking ahead of us.

"Elric..." I spoke, trying to snap him out of his reverie.

The blonde boy smirked and turned to us, placing his hands on his hips triumphantly. "We have it now, Al." Then, he opened his eyes and then his smile faded as he caught sight of our equal shock expressions. "What's wrong, you guys?"

I sighed at his obliviousness, but only replied pointing to the rocky, ash infested shambles of the ruins of the Central Library. Edward raised an eyebrow at me, and then he glanced over his shoulder. He did a double take just to make he wasn't dreaming, and then his jaw dropped in shock.

"No... no no nonononono NO!" he screamed racing up to the crumbled staircase. He gawked as he stared up at the remains of the building. "The notes! IT'S GONE! IT'S ALL GONE!"

"Well," I sighed, "that's a shame..."

"You jinxed it!" Edward shouted, whirling around and pointing an accusing finger at me.

"I_ jinxed_ it?" I repeated, irritation boiling up inside me.

"Yes!" the Fullmetal boy answered, walking back up to me. "On the train! you said: 'What if something happened to the notes?'."

"I did _not_ say that!" I retorted. "I said: 'what if it's another false lead?'!"

"Enough you two!" Armstrong bellowed, stepping in between me and the Fullmetal boy before we could begin a brawl (not that we _were_ going too...). "No one is at fault here. Now, I say that we inspect the premises and try to figure out how _this_ happened."

With that, the Major walked towards the building and ascended the crumbled staircase. Edward and I exchanged a quick glare before we followed the Major inside the devastated building, Alphonse taking up the rear. The doors snapped off upon pushing them open, landing in a pile of wreckage. Edward and I stepped inside, gazing around the ash ridden ground zero of the building.

Golden eyes widened, Edward wandered around the desolate building, he jaw opened as he stared taken aback at the sights before him. To think that he had his hopes built up so high that they would all come crumbling down. Stooping down, Ed grabbed a book with his hand; however, it crumbled to pieces as he lifted it up off the ground.

"It's gone..." Edward murmured, standing up slowly, his head sagging in disappointment. "Everything... it's gone..."

"Shouldn't have gotten your hopes up," I chided him.

"Not helping, Dani," the Fullmetal boy hissed warningly.

The Fullmetal Alchemist sighed as he gazed around the building once more, still trying to digest the fact that there was nothing left of the forsaken building. I'll admit that I was somewhat interested in what the Marcoh guy had written in his notes, and research more about the Philosopher's Stone, but not so much disheartened as Edward. None of us knew who had done such a thing to the library, or what their intentions were; in fact, we weren't sure how long the building had been in this state.

"Major Armstrong, sir!" a voice called out.

The four of us turned around to find two Amestrian soldiers standing in the doorway behind us, one male and one female. I quickly recognized the tall woman with short, cropped brown hair and eyes with a mole on her left cheek as second lieutenant Ross. The male soldier was new to me. He had short, light brown hair with a small lock sticking up between his middle parting. His eyes were a wide, and sensitive looking, shinning like emerald. He and Ross both stood at attention, saluting as we acknowledged them.

"Ah, second lieutenant Ross, Sergeant Brosh," the Major announced. "Good to see you two."

The two soldiers dropped their hands by their sides in sync, but it was the second lieutenant to answer the Major. "We come to report to our duties, sir."

"Duties?" the Major repeated.

"We have been ordered to take over as the bodyguards of the Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother," the male soldier, sergeant Brosh, replied.

"I see..." Major Armstrong mused. Then I noticed a smirk curl under his thick blonde moustache, giving the two soldiers a nod of approval. "Have fun."

"What the hell?" Edward whined, totally out of his deep depression. "Just when I thought we'd finally get rid of the Major they bring us _more_ bodyguards?"

"It's by order of the military, Edward Elric," Armstrong bellowed. "Until things settle down, I suggest you get used to it. Now, if you'll excuse me," he added, strolling out of the building, "I must return to headquarters."

Both the sergeant and second lieutenant stood straight in salute as the Major descended the staircase and down the sidewalk, disappearing around the corner. Then, the two soldiers turned back to us, still standing straight as boards.

"We have a vehicle waiting for you, Edward Elric, sir," the second lieutenant announced.

The Fullmetal boy sighed. "Fine..."

With that, he slumped over and staggered through the building and out the door followed by Alphonse and the two soldiers taking up the rear. Well, I was relieved that the Major was gone, soi wouldn't have to deal with him randomly ripping his shirt off, offering a 'comforting embrace'. I had already received one of _those_ back in Resembool and I sure didn't need another one.

Without another word, I followed the two soldiers down to the black military vehicle. The two soldiers stepped to the side, Brosh holding the door open, and allowed Edward and Al to climb inside the vehicle. As soon as I walked up to them, the sergeant and second lieutenant were climbing into the vehicle as if I was non-existent.

"Hey, what about me?" I snapped.

The two soldiers stared at me, both with raised eyebrows. Of course, it was sergeant Brosh to speak first: "What business do you have?"

"_I'm_ accompanying the Fullmetal boy," I answered, placing my hands on my hips.

"And just who are _you_?" Ross inquired, unamusement etched on her face as she crossed her arms.

I sighed, and then pulled out my pocket watch. "Daniel Russo. The Tremor Alchemist."

A split second after that, the two soldiers snapped into a salute, standing up straight beside the vehicle. "We apologize, sir!" they spoke in perfect unison. "We had no idea! Please forgive us for our incompetence!"

_Man, these two sure are jumpy..._ I mentally noted, shoving my watch back into my pocket.

"No problem," I spoke nonchalantly. Then I sighed as I seated myself in between Edward and Alphonse. "I'm used to it anyway..."

It's not like I didn't see it coming. I was the _second_ _youngest_ State Alchemist, and you would think that some rumors would spill out! Of course, I shrugged it off and slouched back in the seat.

The second lieutenant and sergeant climbed into the vehicle, seating themselves in the leather seats across from us. As soon as Brosh closed the door and gave the driver an 'ok', the vehicle roared to life and soon rolled across the pavement, picking up speed once its tires stepped onto the main road. I glance out the window at the large buildings passing by, of course, with Ed's head in the way of the window and now way around Al's bulky armor, there wasn't much else to look at.

Releasing a small sigh, I looked up at the two soldiers in front of me. "So... where are we going exactly?"

"We were told that you three were coming to Central to search the library," liutenant Ross answered. "But because the building was burned down a few days ago, along with the books and everything else in it, there wouldn't be much for you to research."

"However," Ross added. "There is a woman who used to work at the library in the First Branch and was familiar with the materials there."

Edward perked up, a gleam of hope in his golden eyes. I shot him a warning glance, something along the lines of: 'don't get your hopes up again'. Of course, he didn't catch my eye and continued to stare silently at the second lieutenant, waiting for her to mention more of the woman who worked at the library.

"However..." Ross continued. "She is no longer employed."

I was half expecting the second lieutenant to say something like that, something that would burst the Fullmetal boy's bubble. It sure worked, because Edward pouted and crossed his arms, turning his attention back to the passing scenery out the window.

"I should've guessed..." he murmured.

"Second time today you got your hopes up," I remarked. "And what have we learned from _that_?"

Edward only groaned, laying his head against the glass. I shook my head at the blonde alchemist, and then lounged back at the seat. He said that he had been searching for leads on that stone for three years. One would think that with all the failures at achieving the stone, he would be used to disappointment.

"Is everything okay?" Al's voice echoed from inside the armor, breaking the few moments of silence.

I turned my attention to the scene beside me, while Edward glanced up from the window joining me in Brosh stammered for an excuse as he scanned the armored boy over.

"Oh, uh... it's nothing really..." he managed to answer. "I was just wondering why you wear a suit of armor."

The two Elric Brother's flinched and then looked at each other, hoping that the other one would figure out an answer. I glanced from the two of them, with a raised eyebrow. This was going to be interesting how they weasel their way out of this.

"It's... a hobby!" the brother's answered in unison, glancing back at the two soldiers in front of us.

Both Ross and Brosh exchanged confused glances and then turned to me. What? I had nothing to do with any of _this_! Of course, if these guys were wanting some kind of affirmation, then I might as well give it to them.

Shrugging I lounged back in the leather seat. "What _they_ said."

The sergeant and second lieutenant blinked in confusion and then began whispering to each other about who knows what. I would've easily been able to eavesdrop on their conversation, especially since they were sitting only a few feet away; however, I had _other_ voices blocking the soldiers' conversation out of earshot.

"So, uh, Al what do you think of that trash can over there?" Edward spoke, glancing out the window.

"Y-yeah!" his brother answered, glancing out _the_ o_ther_ window. "It's beautiful!"

"Smooth one, you guys," I sighed. "Real smooth..."

Well, at least the second lieutenant and sergeant were too busy talking amongst themselves to hear any of the brother's absurd comments about trash cans and buildings.

Only one thing ran through my mind for the remainder of the trip... 'Are we there yet?'

**~ . . * . . ~**

Just when I thought I was going to suffocate from being sandwiched between the Fullmetal Alchemist and his younger brother, the military van pulled to a complete stop in front of an apartment. We filed out of the vehicle one by one, and stared up at the building. I'll admit that I wasn't expect much out of where the woman lived, but what really caught me off guard was the decor of her apartment complex.

Edward, Alphonse, and I stared in shock at the sight behind the door. Books. Not one, not _two,_ but, at least, a _thousand_ books were stacked in jumbled piles on the floor and lumped in their places on the many shelves that filled the room. With the foyer of the apartment complex decorated like _this_ I can only imagine if all the other rooms were decorated with books. Most likely.

Adjusting my black cap, I walked into the dimly lit room, sliding through the maze of bookshelves.

"Dani?" Edward asked.

"You want to want to find this woman and get some info on the library, right?" I inquired, glancing over at him. "Come on."

With that, I turned my attention in front of me as I maneuvered my way through the book shelves. One by one, sergeant Brosh, second lieutenant Ross, and the Elric Brothers followed behind me. Eventually, we split up to search for the woman who lived here, plowing through book piles on our way.

"I can't believe someone actually lives _here_," Brosh commented, sliding through crows of book shelves.

"Miss Sheska?" Ross called out. "Are you home?"

Sheska, huh? So that was the woman's name. This woman must have all the time in the world to read all of these books! My eyes scanned the shelves as I shimmied through the maze. There were books for every genre from biographies to romance novels to history text books! It was if this apartment complex itself could be a library!

"Oof!" a muffled voice called out from below me as I stepped on a rather large pile of books.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I glanced down at the large pile of novels and textbooks with a collapsed wooden shelf leaning against it. I removed a few books from the pile revealing a flesh arm sticking out, followed by a muffled moan.

"Umm... hey, guys?" I called out to the rest of the group. Edward, Al, and the two soldiers appeared in the aisle. I pointed down at the pile of books. "I think I may have found her."

"Ugh..." another moan echoed from beneath the books. Suddenly, the flesh hand lifted up waving around in their air, causing me to shriek in surprise and jump back. "Is someone out there...? Help me..."

In an instant, the five of us were removing the books and chucking them over our shoulders in attempt to rescue the woman from being buried alive. We were all screaming at each other and to the woman underneath as we continued to dig her out. Eventually, the sergeant and second lieutenant were able to pull the poor young woman out of the pile of books.

"I'm so sorry about that!" the woman shrieked, glancing at each one of us. Then she adjusted her large round glasses on her face as she focused her dark eyes on us. "I thought I was going to die under that mountain books!"

"Yeah, sure..." I mumbled, panting from exhaustion. "Don't mention it..."

"So..." Edward began, removing a book from his head. "You must be Sheska."

"Yes, that's me," the woman with short, brunette hair answered.

"I was told that you worked at the Central Library and-"

Before Edward could finish, the young woman squealed with delight as she gazed off into space with a dreamy smile etched on her round face. "Yes! As a matter of fact I did!" she cheered. "It was such a wonderful place! That job was a dream come true!"

The Elric Brothers and I stared at the woman as she continued to squeal and ramble on about books and being in love with them and what not. I'll admit that I was in love with books, especially once I learned alchemy, but, now that I saw how obsessed this woman one, I just hoped that I would _not_ end up like her.

"However..." Sheska continued, her wide, joyous smile transforming into a long front. "All I ever did was read the books there, completely forgetting about my job. Because of my neglect to pay attention, they fired me!" She sniffled as she gazed up at the ceiling. "I don't have much more to live off of, and if I don't find another job to support myself, I'll never be able to move my elderly mother into a better hospital."

**_Elderly_**_ mother?_ I repeated in my mind. _How old is this Sheska woman?_

I was about to remark something along the line of sell at least half of your books. I mean, that would last her another couple of month; but after having second thoughts about it, a completely bookworm like her would _never dare_ give up her 'precious books'.

"But, I'm only good at reading!" Sheska cried, falling to the floor. "I'll never be good at any other job! I'm a disgrace! I'm nothing but a useless, good for nothing-"

"Uh... Sheska...?" Edward spoke up, cutting the poor woman off. "Can we ask you something?" The woman rubbed a few tears from her eyes and glanced up at Edward with a quizzical countenance. "Well," the blonde alchemist began. "Do you know of an author by the name of Tim Marcoh?"

"Tim Marcoh... Tim Marcoh..." mused Sheska. "Oh! I remember!"

Edward smiled widely as he leaned forward, hope, once again, brimming in his wide golden eyes. "You do?"

_Here we go again..._ I thought, rolling my eyes at the blonde alchemist. Okay, I'll be anyone out there that Edward Elric is going to have his bubble burst for the umpteenth time today.

"I remember seeing some hand-written notes stuffed in a bookcase," Sheska explained.

"Then the notes really were in the library!" Edward breathed, his smile growing even wider.

"Three... two... one..." I mused, folding down a finger as I counted.

"Meaning that they burned down with everything else there..." Edward whined, hanging his head in disappointment. Then, he stood up and sighed. "They're nothing but ashes now..." He paused to adjust his red coat, and then he turned around. "Come on guys, let's head out."

I stood up with the Elric Brothers and adjust my cap. "Thanks anyway, Miss Sheska," I spoke with a wave.

"Wait, if you wanted to read them... I could write them up for you," Sheska protested.

Instantly after that Edward and Alphonse froze in place, and then whirled around on their heels facing the woman with shock etched on their faces. Okay, even I'll admit that I was as equally shocked. I mean, everything burned down in the library. Over a million books!

"Do you have a copy of the notes?" I inquired.

"No," Sheska answered. "But, I _do_ remember everything that was written down."

"WHAT?" Edward and Alphonse shrieked, rushing up to the woman.

"I... I-I have a photographic memory!" The woman explained. "I can remember every _content_ of anything I read."

The blonde alchemist and cheered with ecstasy and hugged the brunette book worm, while his younger brother danced around the room with glee. Hey, like I said, I was interested in what those notes about the Philosopher's Stone were about.

"Thanks you so much, Miss Sheska!" Edward cheered.

"You saved us a load of time!" I added.

"Uh... sure," Sheska answered, "n-no problem."

After thanking her for the hundredth time in a row, Edward led the group out of the book infested apartment complex and down the hall. His smile never left his face as we made out way out to the parked military vehicle, which then proceeded to drive down the road towards Central Headquarters.

"Well," Ross spoke up with a cheery smile. "Looks like yo boys found what you were looking for after all."

"I can't wait until Sheska gets them written down," Edward spoke.

"I must admit," I spoke with a slight smirk. "I thought for sure you were going to get your parade rained on again."

Edward's own sly smirk spread across his lips as he crossed his arms triumphantly. I smiled and shook my head at his cockiness. Who knows? Maybe all those years of finding false leads would pay off for these two brothers.

**~ . . * . . ~**

Five days passed, and I found myself sitting at a desk in the bunker I shared with the Elric Brothers. There were two stacks of books place on each side of the desk top, while I indulged myself into scanning the text of the book I was currently reading. Hey, if I was going to help Edward and Alphonse research more into the location of that Philosopher's Stone, I might as well study up on it.

My leather Alchemy note book sat on the desk in front of me, while I jotted down a few notes I found out about the Philosopher's Stone. I must admit that as I read, I could see why the Elric Brother's wanted to obtain it so badly.

"The Grand Elixir... The Fifth Element..." I mused under my breath as I scratched down notes in my leather bound notebook.

I stopped to scan over the text once more, but then my eyes widened at the discovery. 'The power of the blood-red jewel' the text stated, 'It brings joy to sorrow, light to darkness...' my eyes widened even more as I read over the last part of the sentence: '... life to death'. But, human transmutation was impossible! Edward drilled _that_ into my head for sure, but... this legendary stone, from what the book stated, could bypass all laws in alchemy, even Equivalent Exchange!

A sly smirk slowly crossed my lips as the gears in my mind began to turn._ Impossible, huh? _I thought to myself,_ We'll see who's the better Alchemist when I get a hold of my **own **Philosopher's Stone and bring my parents back, Elric..._

"Hey, Dani! Al!" Edward shouted, barging into the barrack.

I yelped in surprise as I fell backward in the chair landing on my back, knocking a few books onto the floor as well. Groaning, I stared up at the ceiling trying to recollect my thought together, and then I slowly sat up, rubbing the back of my head with my hand.

"What the hell, Elric?" I snapped.

"I just got off the phone with Sheska," the Fullmetal boy explained, unfazed by my outburst. "She says that she has the notes all copied!"

"Really?" Alphonse spoke, excitement clear in his voice.

Scrambling to my feet, I grabbed my jacket and slipped my arms through the sleeves. "Let's get going then!" Grabbing my hat, I adjusted it on top of my head, and then turned to the two brothers, who only stared at my quizzically. Of course, I only smiled. "What? You guys want to find out the secrets of that Philosopher's Stone, don't you?"

Both Edward and Alphonse exchanged confused glances with each other and then shrugged. "Come on," Edward spoke, adjusting his red coat. "Let's go find Ross and Brosh."

With that, the blonde alchemist turned and walked out of the room. Alphonse and I followed behind him, while I closed the door on our way out. Not wanting to lose another moment, Edward race down the hall in search of the sergeant and second lieutenant, Al and I in close pursuit of the older Elric brother.

As I caught up with Edward, I could see that smile on his face and the hope brimming in his golden eyes, and even I was filled with hope. After looking into further detail about the Philosopher's Stone, I could finally see eye-to-eye with the Elric Brothers, and I was just as eager to dive into the secrets the stone held.

**~ . . * . . ~**

"Well... this is it," Sheska announced, plopping the last pile of notes on the table.

Edward, Al, Brosh, Ross, and I stared down in shock at the assortment of notes and volumes written by the Tim Marcoh guy. I was expecting just a small notebook or twenty-page folder of notes, not actual novel-sized pages!

"Sorry for the long wait..." the brunette woman apologized. "There was a lot to write down."

I blinked as I continued to stare wide-eyed at the table of stacked notes, and then I glanced up at Sheska. She remembered all of _this_? These notes were almost like the same length as, on average, ten or so alchemy text books! Glancing down at the stack of papers, I picked on up and flipped through the pages to see for myself.

Of course, it only took a few moments of scanning to arise my confusion. "3 cups of sugar... a teaspoon of salt... one stick of butter?" I mused as I read over the text. Then I turned to the brunette woman with a raised eyebrow. "Are you _sure_ these are Tim Marcoh's notes?"

"Sure, I'm sure!" Sheska answered, smiling at her handiwork. "'1,000 easy recipes' by Tim Marcoh."

I dropped the stack of paper in disbelief. _THIS_ was Tim Marcoh's research on the Philosopher's Stone? This was just some crazy recipe book! How the hell was this related to any concept of alchemy? More importantly... the Philosopher's Stone!

"6 cups of rice, 2 onions, one carrot..." Ross read off, equally confused as I was. "Did we go through all of this just for a cookbook?"

"Elric," I whispered to the blonde while Brosh began questioning Sheska. "Are you sure this Marcoh guy wasn't on any strange medication?"

However, Edward didn't answer. Instead, he scanned over the notes one last time. "Miss Sheska? Are you _sure_ these are an exact replica of Dr. Marcoh's notes?"

"Yes! I'm absolutely certain!" Sheska declared confidently.

The Blonde Alchemist's smile grew wider as he faced the brunette woman. "Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Now," he added, picking up a stack of papers. "Let's get these back to the library at HQ."

I stared at the blonde unblinkingly as he and his brother carried the stacks of papers, while strolling across the room and towards the door. Not knowing what else to do, I grabbed a stack of papers and began following after the armored boy.

Edward stopped to have a few more words with Ross and Sheska, but then later joined Alphonse, the sergeant, and I outside in the hall. Edward thanked Sheska one last time and then bid her farewell, before turning and walking down the hall. I glanced over at the blonde alchemist, who only smirked triumphantly as he strolled down the hall.

"Hey, Elric?" I asked. "You said that this Marcoh guy was researching the Philosopher's Stone, right?"

"Yep," the blonde answered.

"So..." I began, still confused about the content of the notes. "These really are his notes, then?"

"That's what Sheska says," Edward answered.

My eyebrow remained raised, still confused about the whole subject, but then I sighed. "I'm starting to wonder if _you're_ the one taking strange medication..."

"What's _that_ supposed to me?" Edward inquired, puzzled.

"Nothing..." I answered. "Let's just get back to HQ."

Not wanting to press on the subject more, the blonde alchemist shrugged. The four of us made out way over to the vehicle, and climbed inside, each holding a stack of notes on our laps. I watched the two brothers flip through their stack of notes, nodding as they scanned the text. This sure was one mystery that was going to be difficult to figure out.

**~ . . * . . ~**

As soon as we reached Central Headquarters, Edward led the way towards the library and then plopped the notes down on a table. The library was completely deserted with nothing but rows of bookshelves, but no person occupying the room. The two Elric boys set the stacks of papers down and organized them on the table.

"All right, guys," Edward spoke. "We've got the notes, now let's find some books that will help us through the topics."

With that, the blonde boy strode over to a bookshelf and ran his finger across the spines of a books, and pulled a couple off the shelves. His brother pulled a few books out, flipping through the pages as he stood there. I set my own stack of papers down as sergeant Brosh and I watched bewildered as the two boys brought a few stacks of text books over to the table.

"So what's so important about these notes anyway?" the sergeant inquired.

"Something about the Philosopher's Stone and other Alchemy facts," I answered.

"But that doesn't make any sense," Brosh said, flipping through one of the volumes. "These notes are cookbooks. Not Alchemy textbooks."

"I'm with you in that boat," I sighed. "I've been with these two for months, and I don't understand half the stuff they do."

"I'm surprised you _don't_," Edward spoke with a smirk as he sat down at the table. "An Alchemist like you should easily recognize something like _this_." With that he picked up one of the thick, bound notes and flipped through the pages. "Alchemy isn't some kind of toy, so it can be dangerous if you use it the wrong way. To keep _that_ from happening, Alchemist research notes like these," Edward held up one of the recipe notes to Brosh and I, "are always encrypted in the Alchemist's own style."

"Oh, I get it now," I spoke, mentally slapping myself for being so incompetent. That would explain why it took me forever to decipher Edward's notes. Then I picked up a stack of notes and flipped through them. "So, these notes must be some advanced alchemical notes."

"Right," Edward confirmed. "However, since the Philosopher's Stone is such a strong alchemic legend, Marcoh must've heavily coded his notes."

"Then, how are you guys going to _de_code them?" Brosh inquired.

The blonde alchemist sighed and scanned over the notes once more. "Well, it's not going to be some walk in the park that's for sure. We'll have to use everything we know about alchemy along with some og the books here."

"Right... well you guys have fun with _that_..." Brosh remarked.

Of course, the sergeant said a few other things, but I had already tuned him out as my eyes scanned over the notes. _Salt..._ I read to myself._ Sodium chloride... one of the basic elements that is a pure substance_. As I continued to read over the other ingredients and their components when mixed together, alchemical formulas and mixtures began flooding into my mind relating to the notes.

"Al!" Edward called out to his brother. "There's something in here about _Green_ Tea!"

"You don't think..." Al began.

His older brother smirked. "Yep. Exactly. The Green Lion."

"The metallurgic alchemy Green Lion?" I spoke up.

Everything began flooding my mind at that moment. I recalled writing down something about a green lion while decoded Edward's notes the night I attempted that double human transmutation. Smirking, I flipped through the notes a few more times. These definitely were alchemic notes, no doubt about it.

"Hey Elric, check _this_ out," I spoke, placing the notes down on the table and pointing to a set of text.

Edward scanned over the sentence and grinned. "Nice detective work, Circles." Then he turned to his brother, who was busily stacking a few books in his arms. "Hey, Al! Look for some copies of Flamel's Manuscripts, or books on Lambspring's Philosopher's Stone."

"I'm on it, Brother," Alphonse answered running his leather hand across the spines of a few books and pulling a few books off the shelf."

Seating myself at the table, I pulled a blank piece of notebook paper and jotted down a few notes, scanning over the text. Edward and Al pointed out a few things in the 'recipe' book, and Edward sent his younger brother on another mission to search the library for a book. There were moments where I pointed out a few things to Ed, and matched them up with something I discovered in the book. Of course, we got into heated arguments while decoding the research, which resulted in Alphonse separating us on opposite ends of the table.

For the rest of the day and all night, the three of us were scribbling down notes, looking through the index off books and flipping to the corresponding pages. I'll admit that the secrets of this recipe were starting to unfold the more we deciphered it, leading to a new discovery.

Of course, it only took a matter of days before our minds went into overload, putting the three of us on the edge of passing out from study-overload. Edward was lying on top of the table with Alphonse, while I was sprawled out on the floor with who knows how many books laying open around me.

Groaning, I pulled a book of my face and stared up at the ceiling. "Did we decode it yet?" I asked for the umpteenth time that day.

"No..." Edward sighed. "It's too damn hard..."

"Hey, Brother? Do you think it would be easier if we just ask Dr. Marcoh...?" Alphonse suggested.

"Are you kidding me?" Edward snapped. "I'm _not_ giving up just yet!"

"I am!" I announced. Then I yawned and curled up on the floor. "Wake me when you get it decoded."

"Fine!" the blonde alchemist snapped. "Lay there like a slug! But don't come whining to me when _I_ have it all figured out!"

"Oh, shut up!" I snapped sitting up and glaring at the blonde. "I could figure this code out in no time at all!"

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Wanna bet?"

"You're on!"

With that, I stood up and adjusted my cap, and then I picked up a few stacks of notes off the floor then a couple of books from the table. I huffed as I strode over to another table in the library with my back to the Elric Brothers, and seated myself. Edward wanted to make this a contest huh? Well, I'll show him.

Scanning through the notes once more I opened up one of the books and flipped through the pages. My eyes darted across the text as I jotted down a few notes on the piece of paper. After a while, I re-read my notes and smirked to myself, and then I glanced up at the stacks of papers and books. I'd have this code cracked within a few hours or so.

**~ . . * . . ~**

"Dani!" a male voice shouted with joy.

Along with that, there was a loud _BAM_ on the wooden table, jolting me awake in shock. Seriously? Had I fallen asleep while researching? Before I could stand up and look to see who in the world was behind me, I felt my petite body being hoisted out of the chair with ease and then I was spun around a few times.

"I thought I told you to call me when you were in Central!" the overjoyed male voice continued as he stopped spinning, but still held me in a tight bear hug a few inches off the ground. "There's no way I'm gonna miss my little god-daughter while she's here without my knowing~"

With that, he cooed and nestled his head on top of mine adoringly. At the mention of 'god-daughter' I didn't have to look up to see who was holding me hostage in an embrace. There was only one person in the world that treated me like this, and that person was none other than the bubbly lieutenant colonel.

"Hey, Hughes," I managed to breath out, despite the fact that my lungs were being crushed by the lieutenant's tight grip.

"God-daughter?" Edward repeated glancing at me from across the room.

"It's a long story..." I answered.

Hughes set me back down on my feet, while I steadied myself, still dizzy from the sudden spinning motion that took over my body.

"Looks like you guys have been busy," the lieutenant colonel commented scanning over the tables stacked with books and notes.

"Yeah," Edward answered, "pretty busy..."

"I've been busy myself as well," Hughes answered. "We've been dealing with a lot of cases, and we're still trying to figure out the Tucker-Chimera case."

A lump formed in my throat at the mention of the name Tucker. Images of little Nina flashed through my mind, relieving the moments I spent with her in the courtyard before her father mutated her into that beast. Tears began to well up in my eyes, but I hung my head, letting the shadow of my cap visor shield my eyes.

Hughes gently placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Sorry guys, I didn't intend to bring up any bad memories..."

The room fell silent as I stood there and Edward sat at the table with his head hung as well. Hughes sighed, and then pulled a chair back, seating himself across from the Fullmetal boy.

"Like I said," the lieutenant colonel continued, "We're still trying to settle some cases, and the First Branch burning down just made it even worse. It's been a _huge_ problem. I mean, all of our case records were stashed there, and it hasn't been easy trying to work without them."

At the mention of the First Branch of the library, Edward and Al exchanged glances with each other and then looked over at the other side of the room. I glanced up and followed their gaze to find Sheska. How long had she been in the room? Suddenly, my still half-asleep mind sparked with realization, and then I smiled at the woman.

"Hey, lieutenant," Edward spoke "We've got the perfect person for you!"

"No need to fret about those missing records," I spoke, resting my arm against hers. "This girl has it all down in her memory. Straight down to the punctuation marks!"

The lieutenant colonel stared at the woman wide-eyed. "Really?"

"Well..." Sheska began. "I did sneak a peek at the case files. And I remember all of them-"

"That's all I needed to hear!" Hughes exclaimed, with a smile on his face sa he stood up. "Consider yourself hired!"

The female bookworm cheered and thanked us over and over as she was dragged out of the room by the cheerful lieutenant colonel. Sergeant Brosh and second lieutenant closed doors as they exited leaving the Elric Brothers and I back to work.

"Hard-work and dedication is a talent of its own, huh," Edward spoke. "Nice one little brother."

Raising an eyebrow I glanced over at the two Elric Brothers. Since when was Al talking about dedication? I shrugged thinking that it must've been something I missed while I was asleep at the table. I turned around to head back over to the table to finish up my decoding; however, Edward's voice rang out, stopping me in my tracks.

"...It's gonna take a lot of teamwork to decode these notes," he spoke.

I glanced over my shoulder at the brothers, who were busy scribbling down notes and flipping through books, and then I looked over at my own table of books and papers splayed out over the top. Teamwork huh? Maybe just this once Edward and I can let the rivalry slide. Besides, this was a matter of getting that Philosopher's Stone in our hands.

Walking over to my table, I stacked the books up and piles of notes together, and then hoisted them off the table. Turning around, I slowly walked back over to the Elric Brother and plopped the stack of books and notes down on an empty spot.

"Dani?" Alphonse inquired, glancing up at me from a book.

I only smiled down at the two. "I just figured you guys might need an extra hand."

One Edward and I locked eyes, we stared at each other for a few more moment, but then the blonde alchemist smiled back and then scooted his chair to the side, making room.

"Well, let's get to it," he spoke. "These notes aren't going to decode themselves."

I chuckled and then I sat myself down at the chair. I exchanged some of my notes with the brothers, who then pointed out a few things to me. After that, the three of us were back to flipping through the books and jotting down more notes, trying to piece together this mystery.

**~ . . * . . ~**

After ten straight days of nothing but research and decoding every single volume Tim Marcoh had written up, the Elric Brothers and I sat around a pile of notes and books on the table. We made a few piles of books just so that we would have enough room to put together the pieces of this mystery. However the result was far from what we had expected...

"Oh, god..." I mused, placing my hand over my mouth to prevent myself from puking all over our hard work.

How could the recipe for a Philosopher's Stone be so... vial?

Alphonse only stared at the notes in complete shock, while Edward stormed around the room in a fit of rage. "This _can't_ be right," he mumbled. "There has to be some mistake!"

"There is no mistake," I answered gravely. "It's the actual recipe for a Philosopher's Stone."

No matter how many times I tried to tell myself that I was dreaming, my eyes would trail over to the paper of notes with the encryption on it. The secret we had discovered circled in thick, black ink. All color had drained from my face, but I fought back the urge to keel over, no matter how ghastly the decoded notes were.

"TO HELL WITH IT!" Edward screamed at the top of his lungs.

With that, he used all the force in his small body to flip over the table we had been using. The mountain of books and notes flew across the room, landing with a loud _THUD_ and splayed out on the floor. I was unfazed by Edward's reaction since I was still in shock by what we had decoded. Releasing a heavy sigh, Edward sat on the floor next to his brother.

The door creaked open, allowing a small portion of light to enter the dimly lit room. "What did you guys do?"

"Boys, I understand that it's difficult to crack the code," Ross reasoned calmly. "But there's no reason to get upset about it."

"That's just it," Alphonse spoke. "We _did_ crack it. We decrypted the notes."

"But..." Brosh began. "Isn't that a _good_ thing?"

"THERE'S NOTHING _GOOD_ ABOUT IT!" Edward snapped, slamming his hand on the ground. Edward sighed and ran his hand through his blonde bangs. "This _is_ the devil's research... Marcoh was right. It's evil."

"The truth about the stone..." I mused resting my elbows on my kneecaps and burying my face in my hands. "It's nothing but a gruesome recipe!"

"What's so bad about it?" Sergeant Brosh inquired cautiously.

None of us answered for a moment, as deathly silence filled the room. "The key ingredient for a Philosopher's Stone," Edward answered. "It's human life. You have to make tons of human sacrifices just for _one_ stone."

Ross and Brosh gasped as they stared in disbelief at the three of us. "How could the military research something so horrible?" the sergeant inquired.

"This is terrible," Ross breathed.

_You're damn right it is! _I screamed in my mind. I clenched my hair in my hands and began to tremble at the mere thought. So many humans just for _one_ stone? The ratio didn't make any sense! How the hell was _that_ Equivalent Exchange?

"Sergeant, Lieutenant," Edward spoke after a few moments of silence.

"Yes, sir?" the two asked in unison.

"Do _not_ speak of this to anyone," the blonde alchemist spoke. "Pretend you never heard _any_ of this."

The sergeant and lieutenant stammered to protest, but they soon admitted defeat and swore to us never to utter the secret to anyone. No one could handle this truth.

**~ . . * . . ~**

I sat at my desk in the guest room of the Hughes' apartment complex. I had moved out of the Brother's room, thinking that some time away from Headquarters would take my mind off of what Edward, Al, and I had decoded. No, even after two nights of being locked up in the room, the thought always managed to slip back into my mind.

To think that I wanted to grab a hold of the stone for my own selfish purposes too. I sighed as I leaned forward in the chair, resting my head on my crossed arms on the desk. I probably had the whole Hughes family worried sick about me by now, especially since I never left the room for a single bite to eat. I wasn't hungry. The truth of what I had uncovered filled me up enough.

Just when I thought I would have yet another quiet, restless night in the Hughes' home, there was a knock at the door, which was slowly pushed open. Of course, I didn't have to take one glance over my shoulder to see who it was. It was obvious already.

"Hey, Dani," the lieutenant colonel spoke softly as he stepped into the room. I didn't say anything or acknowledge the man's presence. However, he continued to walk over to me, and then set a plate of quiche on the desk. "I thought you might be hungry."

I stared at the plate of food for a few moments, while the room filled with silence. I was sure that the lieutenant colonel was waiting on me to say something or at least take one bite of his wife's special quiche. However, I slightly nudged the plate away with my arm, and then turned my head to the other side.

Hughes sighed in defeat, and then I heard the bed mattress squeak as he sat down on it. "What's up with you, Dani?" he inquired. "The only time you shut people out is when you're busy studying, but I know you've done enough of _that_ back at HQ."

I remained silent as I stared out the window at the dark night scene of Central.

"C'mon, Danielle," my 'god-father' pressed on. "I rarely see you upset, and I can't stand it when you are. Just tell me what's been bothering you."

Gripping my T-shirt sleeve with my hand, I sucked in a deep breath, holding back the urge to break out in tears. I _couldn't_ let Hughes in on something like this! Who knows what kind of trouble he could get into?

After a few minutes of absolute silence, Hughes released a deep breath. "I know you don't like being emotional, but you don't have to be a boy in front of _me_. I just want to help. That's all."

I gripped my arms even tighter, practically on the verge of digging my fingernails into my skin. Even though I always acted like a tough dog of the military, and a 'boy' never showing tears to anybody and letting my actions speak for me, Hughes always tried to drag my sensitive, emotional female side out of me. I wasn't going to let myself get soft though.

"I..." I began, unsure of how to piece my words together in a simple explanation.

After a few minutes though, I sighed, completely giving up on the entire subject. There was no way I could tell Hughes without a small hint leaking out that would lead him down the path of figuring out the truth.

The lieutenant colonel began to speak once more; however, his wife, Gracia cut him off from down the hall. "Danielle? Edward is on the phone. He wants to talk to you. He says it's urgent."

Lifting my head up, I glanced at the open door in confusion. Urgent? What was so 'urgent' that Ed had to talk to me about? Before I stood up to leave the room, I looked at the lieutenant colonel for the first time that entire night, wondering if it was all right for me to leave. He smiled jerked his head to the side as if head read my mind.

"Your teammate needs you," he spoke.

I half-smiled at the thought of Edward being my 'teammate' which was far from what I considered him. Without another word, I stood up and walked out of the room and into the living room, where I found Mrs. Hughes. She smiled as I walked up to her, and then she handed me the phone before exiting, leaving me in private.

"This better be good, Elric," I growled into the receiver.

"Oh, it's more than 'good', Circles," the blonde alchemist replied from the other end of the line. "Al and I just realized that there may be a Truth within the Truth."

I nearly gasped in shock. "You mean... there's _more_ to the notes?"

"Just come down to HQ," Edward answered. "I'll explain everything."

After that, he hung up, while I did the same. Without a moment to lose, I whirled around and raced back into my room, nearly knocking the lieutenant colonel down on my way. So there was more to Marcoh's notes? If that was the case, then maybe –just maybe- there could be more to the secrets of the Philosopher's Stone. Snatching my jacket off the back of the chair, I hurriedly fed my arms through the sleeves.

"Going somewhere?" Hughes' voice inquired from the doorway.

"I'm heading back to HQ," I answered simply, slipping my other arm into the other sleeve. "Edward may have found a clue about what we've been researching this week." As soon as I had my jacket on, I whirled around on my heel. "I'd explain more, but I've gotta hurry!" I added, racing out of the room and towards the front door.

"Dani," Hughes spoke, as soon as I flung the door open. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I glanced over my shoulder at the lieutenant. However, he only smiled. "You can't forget _this_."

With that, he tossed me my black cap. I caught in before it had the chance to hit my face, and then I smiled up at the lieutenant. "Thanks, Hughes."

After adjusting the cap on my head, I sped out of the apartment complex and rushed down the staircase. Hughes had called me one more time to stop me, but there was no way I was going to waste anymore time. Not with the hidden truth about the stone waiting to be revealed.

**~ . . * . . ~**

I burst through the doors of the Elric's dorm room, panting from the sprint down from the apartment building to Headquarters. Everyone in the room –Ed, Al, sergeant Brosh, lieutenant Ross, and even major Armstrong- glanced up at me upon entering.

I only smirked. "I told you I'd make it."

Edward smiled back and then scooted over, making room on the couch. Taking up the offer, I strode into the room, and then sat down on the couch beside the Fullmetal boy.

"So, what did I miss?" I inquired.

"Well, when we were heading back to Resembool," Edward began, "Marcoh met us at the train station. The last thing he told me before we boarded the train was that we may find the 'Truth hidden within the Truth'."

I hummed thoughtfully and then placed a hand to my chin. So, there was indeed more to this mystery. Maybe there was a loophole to the whole human-life as main ingerdiant for Philosopher's Stone.

"Well, since the government is researching the whole Philospher's Stone thing," I began, "they at least need to be doing their research in some kind of lab."

"Actually, there are currently four laboratories used by the government," the Major explained as he laid out a map of Central on the table. "Dr. Marcoh worked in the third one."

Laboratories? He didn't mean to say that the government may have been using top secret laboratories to run tests on making the Philosopher's Stone? Well, since that was obviously what had been discussed earlier, there was no doubt that was the case.

Edward hummed thoughtfully as he scanned over the map, but then he pointed to a building with an 'X' over it. "What's this?"

"It was the Fifth Laboratory," Ross answered, flipping through a folder of notes. "But it hasn't been operational for a long time. It's been off-limits."

"Then it has to be there," Edward murmured.

"What makes you say _that_?" Brosh inquired, looking over Ed's shoulder.

"Process of elimination?" I suggested with a shrug.

"No," the Fullmetal boy answered. "Look here." With that, he set a finger down on a square building next to the one marked out with the 'X'. "There's a prison next to the lab. Think about it for a second."

I stared at the blonde boy in confusion, and then glanced down at the map. A prison and a factory... I thought about what I had spent researching the past few days while also trying to put together what Edward meant.

Suddenly, it finally clicked and I placed my hand over my mouth in disgust. "You don't mean..."

"There's plenty of condemned prisoners reported 'executed'," Edward explained.

"So, they're using the prisoners to make the stone?" Ross inquired just as disgusted.

"I'm just as disturbed," the blonde alchemist spoke.

"Prisoners from other jurisdictions are most likely being used too," Al added.

"Why do I feel like we're getting into trouble..." Ross mused.

"That's why we told you not to tell anyone!" Al and I shouted at her in unison.

Without another word, Major Armstrong rolled up the map and stood up. "This will soon become a political nightmare if word gets out. I'll look more into it. So," he added, turning his attention to the lieutenant and sergeant, "don't speak of this to anyone."

_Oh, yeah sure they'll obey the Major but not_ **_us_**, I mused as I rolled my eyes.

"And you boys," the Major continued, turning to the boys. The Elric Brothers flinched as the Major's eyes narrowed into a stern glare. "Don't think I don't know! You were going to sneak out, weren't you?"

"We weren't! We swear!" the brothers spoke innocently.

Of course, that was when all the soldiers' eyes turned to me. I raised an eyebrow as I glanced at the three of them. Suddenly realization struck me. Apparently, I was considered one of the _boys_ Armstrong was addressing.

"Major Armstrong," I spoke with a sigh. "Do you seriously think _I_ would get myself into deep trouble with _these_ _two_?" I jerked my thumb over my shoulder, gesturing at the Elric Brothers. "I have more common sense than that."

The burly soldier nodded affirming. "See to it that you do."

With that, he whirled around on his heel and strode out of the room. Brosh and Ross followed after the Major, leaving me and the Elric Brothers in peace. Silence filled the room, however, the rumbling of my stomach begging for food break the silence.

"Well," I spoke, standing up and stretching my arms. "We may be here for a while longer, studying a bit more... So," I shoved my hands into my pockets and began walking towards the door, "I'm gonna call Hughes and tell him that I may be staying here for the night. Then maybe I'll go grab a snack." I stopped to turn back to the brothers. "Don't worry, I won't be gone long. I'll bring back some stuff for you guys."

After that I strode out of the room and down the hall. What I said to the Major was true. I was tired. I was starving. There was _no_ _way_ I was sneaking out to some laboratory without the energy I needed! The Elric Brother's were most likely _not_ going to keep _their_ end of the promise, but with the lack of energy and sleep they got from the past few days, I was sure they were going to take it easy. Then, the three of us could sneak out to the lab the next night.

**~ . . * . . ~**

After grabbing a few bottles of water and a bag of chips, I found myself strolling down the dormitory halls of Central Headquarters to the room I shared with the two brothers. I could just taste the salty snacks on my tongue as I imagined munching on them with delight. Once I reached the room, I clenched the bag of chips between my teeth, holding the water bottles with the other hand, and then I turned the knob of the newly fixed door.

"Hey guys!" I spoke through my teeth, as I pushed the door open. "I brought some snacks in case..."

As soon as I glanced up, I found Sergeant Brosh and Lieutenant Ross staring at me with confused expressions. I myself was just as confused; however, once I noticed the bed sheets transmuted into a rope hanging out of the open window, my jaw dropped open, letting the bag of chips fall to the floor, while the water bottles slipped out of my loosening grasp.

"Mr. Russo?" Brosh spoke. "You're still here?"

"They _didn't_..." I hissed.

Then I stormed over to the open window and glanced out into the chilly nighttime of Central. Yep, they did. I have a feeling that those two were going to break their promise to the Major and sneak out to the laboratory.

"THOSE IDIOTS!" I screamed. "I THOUGHT THEY HAD COMMON SENSE!"

"Just calm down, sir," Ross spoke, trying to reason. "We had a feeling they would sneak out tonight."

"We thought _you_ tagged along with them," Brosh added.

I shot a threatening glare at the dirty-blonde soldier. "Do I look _stupid_ to you, sergeant?"

"N-n-no, sir!" Brosh stammered defensively. "M-my apologies... sir!"

I sighed. "Those two know better than to go off without me."

"So you _were_ going to go with them?" Ross inquired.

"Of course," I answered. "And, if those two are there kicking some butt without me, then they're going to be in a world of pain tomorrow. They know well enough to save me some bodies to beat up."

"I thought you said you had 'common sense'," Brosh spoke.

"I do," I answered. Then I stepped onto the window sill, and glanced back over at the two soldiers. "Enough common sense to know when a good time to sneak out would be."

Then, I turned my attention back outside. Scanning the drop below me, I spotted an open dumpster and leapt from the ledge to there. After climbing out of the trash, I wiped the grip of my clothes and started out of the alley way.

"Sir!" Ross called out from the window. "Wait! We'll come with you!"

Stopping, I turned to them with a wave. "Great! We'll meet up there!" Then, I turned back around and began jogging down the street. "You two can clean up the mess we make when we're done!"

From what I remembered on the map, the Fifth Laboratory was a good few blocks away from Central HQ. It was going to be a long walk there but I was sure that Edward and Al had only searched half of the building by then, so they would be nearly finished as soon as I got there.

And when I would get there, I'd kick Edward's sorry ass straight to the moon!

**~ . . * . . ~**

The clanking of metal grew louder the closer I drew towards the building. As soon as I heard the younger Elric brother shouting, I picked up speed and dashed around a corner and slid to a halt. Well, at least I found Alphonse, but he was fighting off another armored guy in fur clothes with a skull-like helmet that had long white hair flowing from the top.

The shorter armored man ran up to Alphonse twirling a cleaver in his hand, and then he sliced the blade across Al's armor kicking up sparks. So the brothers' _were_ in a fight. But, as I glanced around, I couldn't scout out the blonde midget anywhere.

"Shut up!" Alphonse shouted. "You're..."

The armored man, swiped his cleaver down towards Al's head; however, the boy in armor held up his forearm, blocking the attack.

"Just accept the fact that it's true!" the short armor cackled. "It'll make you feel better."

I may not know what those two have been conversing about during their brawl, but if this guy knocked Alphonse down, then there was no doubt that he could easly do the same to Edward. Placing my hands on the ground, I transmuted the stone ground to send stalagmites upward, creating an impasse between Al and his opponent.

"Dani!" the younger Elric Brother shrieked, glancing over at me.

I smirked. "What? Did you think I was going to let you guys have all the fun?"

"Oh, goody," the shorter armor spoke. "Some meat for me to chop up!"

With that, he charged at me wielding his cleaver. I stood there frozen as he charged at me, his blade glistening in the moonlight. It felt like forever before my body finally reacted just in time for me to dodge his swings.

Whirling around, I began racing away from the psychotic armor. "Bad idea! Bad idea! This was a _very_ bad idea!"

"Hold still, you!" the armor shouted, continuing to swing his blade.

I continued to swerve from one side to the other, dodging each swing of the blade. There was no time for me to drop down and transmute the ground without my head being decapitated. To make matters worse, I tripped over my own feet when I glanced over my shoulder to gaze into the red, sould-fire eyes of the skull-helmet the stout armor wore. Trembling, I stared up at the suit of armor outlined in the bright moon.

The short, stout, suit of armor cackled as he raised his cleaver. "You're _mine_ now..."

I closed my eyes, but suddenly, a bullet rang out through the area. Opening my eyes, I found that I was still alive and the cleaver had been knocked from his hand and fell to the ground. We both glanced over to find the lieutenant and sergeant standing there at the entrance. About time!

"Move and the next one is going through your head!" the lieutenant shouted.

"Uh..." the stout armor spoke, glancing at the two armed soldiers. "Well, looks like I'm outnumbered..."

"No shit..." I murmured, staring up at the armor.

Suddenly the ground began to tremble. All eyes turned to me at first, but I held up my hands in defense, so that they knew I wasn't transmuting anything. That was when we noticed the laboratory beginning to crumble to pieces. The windows shattered while rocks began falling from their places, one nearly stabbing me before Al was able to pull me to safety.

"Get out of here now!" Ross called out to us. "It's too dangerous!"

"But Ed is still inside!" Al exclaimed.

What? I gazed up at the crumbling structure as it began to fall to pieces and end up like the library. Ed was still in there? Something in my gut told me that he had done something impetuous that caused the explosion. Boy, when I get my hands on him...

"Well, good luck you guys!" the stout armor spoke as he whirled around and dashed off the territory.

The sergeant called out to the stout suit of armor to halt, however, the psycho ignored him and made a mad dash for the nearest exit.

I coughed as dust and debris flew in my face. "Elric! You..." I paused to cough once more. "Dammit! Ed!"

A pair of arms grasp around my waist as they began to pull me backwards. "We have to get out of here, sir!"

I recognized the voice of the sergeant; however, I ignored his warning and tore from his grasp. Without another moment to lose, I rushed over to the building. "ED!"

The lieutenant and sergeant called after me as I began to race into the building to search for Edward and drag his sorry ass out of there in time. Suddenly, there was a strong blast of air as the layers caved in on each other, sending me flying backwards with other clumps of debris. All I could remember was dust filling my lungs before I was struck in the head.

* * *

**CLIFFHANGER!**

**(Yes, I edited that once scene with Dani at the Hughes' apartment, which explains why I re-uploaded it...)**

**Why? (1) I've written enough today, and this chapter is long enough already even after cramming two episodes together. and (2) If I sit in this chair and keep writing I'm bound to be a blood clot in my legs.**

**So, anyway. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Next one is coming out either tomorrow evening or Wednesday!**

**Merry belated Christmas!**

**RATE AND REVIEW!**

**Oh, and for those of you who reviewed to the original chapter 9... either review with your username as anonymous, or just send the review to me via PM. Whatever is easier! ^^**


	10. I want YOUR Opinion

**HEY GUYS!**

**Its Supergirl here, so no, I'm not dead xDD**

**But, the reason why I've been gone so long is because... we'll I caught a severe illness...**

**What is that illness?**

**...**

**Tablet-itis...**

**Yep**

**I got a tablet back in February and was hooked on it throughout the entire second semester.**

**Seriously... I've been uploading a crap ton of artwork on my DeviantART accoutn -_-**

**BUT! Good news, bad news!**

**~ . . * .. ~**

**GOOD NEWS!**

**I will definititely be resuming "Fire and Ice"**

**~ . . * . . ~**

**BAD NEWS...**

**I've been thinking about re-writing it in 3rd Person (wihtout all the "I"s and "We"s and just change it to 3rd person)**

**~ . . * . . ~**

**BUT! I WANT YOU'RE OPINIONS FIRST!**

**Do you think that I should continue this fic in 1st Person (which is what it's written in already)**

**Or...**

**Should I re-write it in 3rd person...?**

**Let me know you guys!**

**Luv you all!**

**~SG501**


	11. Lost a Love, Gain a Friend

**Hey guys! Guess who~?**

**IT'S ME! And I'm NOT DEAD!**

**Okay... so to be completely honest with you guys... I've been doing A LOT of artwork for this fanic. (You can find it one my DevinatART page, which is on my profile here). Most of all, I got a BAMBOO TABLET! And, I've practically been ADDICTED to it... ^^; So, it took a LONG time to ween myself off of it and get back on here.**

**But! I want to finish up with this story! And... it's UNANIMOUS! You guys said that you like it better in 1st person. (Besides, if it were in 3rd, it would be like watching the episodes all over again xD) Plus, I'm sure you guys wanna beat me up because I haven't updated this story in months... ^^; So, before you assemble your angry mob... let's get the fic started~**

**IMPORTANT NOTE! Chapter 5 was tweaked just to fit the plot of the story.**

**Disclaimer of Disclaimable Disclaims: I be not cow-chimera-chick, so I no be Arakawa sensei, who be the brains behind the amazing sotry known as Fullmetal Alchemist.**

**Claimer of Claiming Claims that I Claim: I own Dani! ^w^ ... And... that's it...**

* * *

**Chapter X: _Lost a Love, Gain a Friend_**

The clanging of metal against metal echoed in my ears, reverberating through my surroundings. A black void clouded my vision, but blurry images and scenes would flash and swirl through my mind, flooding my memory. Some scenes I didn't understand, but as soon as I was able to recognize a few distinct figures, the scene began to unfold.

"...sir!" a voice called into my swirling memory.

Although it sounded like it was echoing all the way from Xing, I opened my eyes half-way, allowing the out of focus scene to enter my mind for processing. The ground shook beneath me, followed by an echoing rumble and a cloud of dust. I closed my eyes once more for fear of blinding myself from the sudden spray of dust particles.

"C'mon..." the voice continued, trailing off as my mind began to tune out the words. "...got to get out of here..."

The voice had been drowned out by the growing sound of rumbling and explosions popping in my already ringing ears. I felt my body being shifted into the air while my mind began to slowly slip back into subconsciousness. A mixture of different voices barking commands to one another rang over the sound of the thunderous explosion.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed since I fell back into the peacful arms of unconsciousness, but the sound barrier had been brought up around my mind, blocking out all noises from the outside world. A few distinct voices managed to break through, most of which called out my name; however, they faded away back into the deep darkness of my unconscious abyss.

"Danielle...?" a soft, feminine voice spoke from beside me followed by a gentle stroke across my brow.

Fluttering my eyes open, I blinked a few times, trying to bring my blurred vision into focus. I was in a small room, lying in a bed. After a quick glance around, identifying a few key objects, I familiarized the room with the guest bedroom in the Hughes' apartment complex. Afterwards, I glanced over to my side, where I discovered the kindhearted woman, who had taken me in as her family, with relief filling her deep green eyes.

"Mrs. Hughes...?" I inquired, my voice cracking slightly.

The woman only answered with a soft smile, and then gently ran her slim, dainty fingers through my hair, brushing my bangs to the side. "I'm so glad you're awake. Are you feeling all right, dear?"

Moaning, I ran my own hand across my face, rubbing away the blur in my vision. "I guess... What happened?"

"From what I was told, you were knocked unconscious," Mrs. Hughes replied. Then she closed her eyes and frowned as if recollecting a gruesome event, and then she released a small sigh. "You had both Maes and I worried sick."

"But, _what_ happened, exactly?" I inquired. "How was... was I knocked unconscious."

Gracia Hughes opened her eyes and grazed up at the ceiling, trying to recollect her thoughts. "It was in the middle of the night when the Sergeant brought you here. I was in bed while Maes took care of everything. But," she added, turning her attention towards me, "but, he said something about an explosion at a laboratory-"

My eyes snapped open as the story began to tie together. The Fifth Laboratory! Al fighting that other suit of armor... Edward trapped inside the collapsing building...

Gasping in shock, I quickly sat up straight in bed. "ED!"

Soon after I had done that, the back of my head began to throb with pain as if someone was continuously beating me with a hammer -no, a_ mallet_ was more like it. I winced through gritted teeth, and tenderly rubbed my aching head, trying to releive myself of the pain.

"Easy, Danielle," Mrs. Hughes spoke calmly, slowly pushing me back down on the mattress. "Edward is all right. He's at the hospital."

_The hospital?_ I repeated in my mind, nearly bolting straight up once again. First, he and Alphonse run off to the laboratory without my knowing, and then the Fullmetal boy goes off and gets his ass handed to him so terribly that he managed to be trasnported to the hospital? More importantly, Edward got into a fight _without_ me. He knows well enough that I need to have the smallest bit of fighting every so often to keep my combat skills in order.

"I've got to go," I announced flatly, sitting up, slowly this time, and then folding the sheets off of me.

Mrs. Hughes gaze me a quizzical expression as I slipped off the bed and stood up on the cold wooden floor. Once I took a few steps towards the desk where my jacket and hat lay hung on the back of the chair, my head began throbbing with pain once more as the room began to spin around me. Groaning, I leaned over the desk, propping myself up with my hand on top, to keep myself from keeling over again; then, I held my head in my hand, waiting for the pain to subside.

"Danielle," Gracia began calmly. "Maybe you should stay here and rest..."

"I'll be fine," I protested. Then I picked my jacket up and slipped it on. "I've just got to go talk to Edward," I added, slipping on my hat. _And teach him a lesson not to go off and fight without me._

After that, I took a deep breath then strode over towards the door. Edward was going to be in a world of pain once I got to the hospital, more than what he was already in.

Before I had the chance to take a step out of the room, Gracia's gentle voice halted me: "Danielle...?"

I stopped and turned to her, expecting another protest to keep me here in the apartment.

Mrs. Hughes opened her mouth to speak, but paused for a minute, and then sighed. "Be carefull, all right?"

I smiled. "Don't worry. I'll just be over there for a while and then I'll come back. I promise."

Her pink lips spread into a calm smile, and then she nodded understandingly. Taking that as permission to leave, I turned and walked out of the room. On my way to the front door, my nose curled at the distinct scent of meatloaf. Turning away from the door, I strode into the kitchen, noticing that my suspicious were correct. Gracia must have been hard at work in the kitchen, because not only was there meatloaf in the process of being cooked, there was also other foods and different pastries. An assortment of cooking supplies had been laid out from knives to tongs to even icing bags.

Keeping my eyes on the kitchen, I slowly turned around and strode into the dining room. Upon entering said room, however, my confusion only grew. Pink, green, and yellow colored streamers were wound around the chairs, table legs, and even the sterling chandelier that hung above the table. Balloons of the same color pattern were set up in the corners of the dining room with their ribbons tied to weights, keeping them from floating to the ceiling.

I stared at the room in confusion. How long have they been sitting there? I assumed that Mrs. Hughes was in the middle of redecorating the dining room for some special occasion, especially since it smelled like she was preparing a huge banquet.

Scanning the colorfully decorated dining area once more, I blinked. "What the-?"

Suddenly, a childish voice squealed: "Dee-Dee!" Before I had the chance to look down, there was a tug on my arm, and I was dragged into the streamer and balloon infested room. "Come see the party decorations!"

_Party?_ I repeated in my mind, glancing around the colorful room once more. When I look down at my feet, I saw that the child who had dragged me into the room was none other than little Elicia Hughes. She smiled, her dimples folding at the corners of her mouth, as she gazed up at me with her sparkling green eyes, while her tiny hands held onto mine. Her short, caramel-colored hair was pulled up into two pig tails on top of her head, while a cone-shaped party hat was set on top of her head.

I smiled back down at her, and then I knelt down to her level. "They're very pretty, Elicia. What's the party for?"

"It's my birthday!" the little girl cheered.

How could I have forgotten _that_? I had lived with the Hughes for an entire year, and I celebrated Elicia's birthday during that time. It was difficult for me to believe how fast she was growing up.

"Really? Well, Happy Birthday, Elicia," I answered the little girl with a smile. "How old are you now?"

"I'm two!" the little girl spoke proudly, holding up a pair of fingers. "Wait, no..." Then she smiled and held up a third little finger. "I'm _three_!"

I chuckled at her forgetfulness. It would be a while before she got used to being another year older, heck it was something that happens to nearly everyone. Birthdays and special occasions were celebrated depending on the family.

"Well, you sure are a big girl," I remarked. "I'll be sure to be here for your big party too. But, now," I added, standing up on my feet. "I have to go see a friend of mine."

"Okie," Elecia cooed in reply as I turned around to walk out. "Bye-Bye, Dee-Dee~"

Chuckling at the nickname, I waved good-bye to the little girl before exiting out of the apartment complex and into the hallway, closing the door behind me. I couldn't blieve I just called Edward my 'friend'. Well, what else was I going to call him so that little Elicia could understand what I meant? My acquaintance? I doubt she even knew what that word meant.

It's not like Edward and I were actually 'friends', as far as I knew anyway, just partners. Rivals, to be more exact. Nothing more. How could I be 'friends' with a cocky, impetuous, half-metal teen like Edward Elric? Why _would_ I? He was always stuck up, boasting about his skills and rubbing it in my face. One of the days I was going to knock him off his 'high horse'.

Releasing a deep breath, I turned and walked down the hallway, passing by the other apartment complex doors on my way towards the stairwell. All the way down and through the lobby, my mind traveled back to the events that occurred last night. I clenched my hand into a fist as I began to imagine the fight Edward had gotten himself into.

How _could_ he? He sneaked out of the dorm room that night while I was gathering some midnight snacks for us to munch on while planning a well-thought out intrusion of Laboratory Five! But, no. Edward, and even Al, decided to practically wing it! No wonder he was in the hospital. He must've been so unprepared for what he would encounter in the Lab, that he paralyzed himself or something severe like that!

Stepping outside onto the sidewalk, I took a few deep breaths to calm my rising frustration with the Elric boy. As I continued my stroll down the sidewalk, I contained my fuming irritation so that I could unleash every bit of it upon Edward when I entered his hospital room.

**~ . . * . . ~**

"EDWARD ELRIC!" I hollered, slamming the hospital door open.

The blonde alchemist shrieked, kicking over the table by his bedside in surprise, which knocked his plate and unfinished lunch onto the polished wooden flooring. He fell backwards onto the bed and the fork, which he had originally been holding, was flung across the room and landed with a _CLANK_ on the floor at my feet.

Sergeant Denny Brosh and Lieutenant Maria Ross only flinched by my sudden outburst and whirled around on their heels. "M-Major Russo, sir!"

Even though the two soldiers stood at attention, heels together and standing tall and straight with a hand to their forehead in salute, I kept my eyes glued on the wounded teen as he groaned and slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. He furrowed his thick eyebrows and blinked his golden eyes before they were locked onto mine.

"Hey, Circles," Edward greeted casually with a light laugh. "What brings you here?"

"_YOU_, you idiot..." I answered curtly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind me. I stormed over to the blonde's bedside and grabbed the collar of his thin, white shirt and yanked him forward close enough that our noses practically touched. "You are _the most_ selfish, impetuous, and, not to mention, reckless person I've ever met in my entire life! How could you go off to The Fifth Laboratory like that? You nearly got yourself KILLED!"

Edward sigh and placed his flesh hand on my wrist. "Relax, Russo..." he released my hands from his shirt one at a time before staring back up at me with his golden, piercing gaze. "I already got my talk about this from _those two_." He jerked his thumb towards the two soldiers at the side of the room. "I know that I was acting like a selfish child when I ran off, all right?"

"THAT'S _NOT_ WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT!" I screamed, stomping my foot in frustration. The blonde alchemist, and even the sergeant and lieutenant stared at me puzzled. I only groaned and folded my arms, whirling around on my heel so that my back was facing the Elric boy. "You should've told me you guys were going to the Lab, so I could come along. I mean," I glared over my shoulder at him, "Did you expect me to stay in the room bored to tears for the rest of the night?"

Edward stared up at my dumbstruck, then his face contorted into an irritated scowl. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME? IF YOU _DID_ COME ALONG, YOU'D BE DEAD!"

I shrugged casually, and look away from him. "Well... if you _stayed_ in the dorm, we could've planned everything out before going."

"SO?" Ed snapped. "If we _did_, you'd still screw something up!"

"Well, hey, at least I'm more responsible than you."

The blonde scoffed. "Oh, yes... you're _very_ responsible."

"I never said _THAT_!" I retorted, whirling around to face him. "I just said that I'm _more_ responsible than _YOU!__"_

"SINCE WHEN?"

"SINCE NOW! BECAUSE, LAST TIME I CHECKED, _I'M_ NOT THE ONE SITTING IN A HOSPITAL BED WITH BANDAGES!"

Suddenly, the wooden double doors of the hospital room burst open along with a deep voice that bellowed: "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS RUCKUS?"

Edward shrieked in surprise while I nearly jumped three feet in the air at the sudden interruption. Whirling around, I found none other than the burly Major Armstrong standing in the middle of the doorway. Ross and Brosh stood in salute, greeting their superior as he took a step into the room, closing the door shut behind him.

"Are you boys arguing again?" the Major bellowed, furrowing his thick blonde eyebrows, while his icy blue eyes stared down at us in a piercing gaze.

"We weren't _arguing_, " I answered casually, folding my arms. "We were just having a very loud discussion."

Edward muttered something under his breath, but when I shot him a glare over my shoulder, he only scowled and looked away.

I returned his scowl with my own. "Well, at least _I_ followed orders and didn't go to the laboratory..."

"WHAT?" Armstrong roared, and I could have sworn I saw steam spew out of his nostrils like an enraged bull. "So you _did_ sneak out to the Fifth Laboratory, Edward Elric!"

"I tried to tell him, Major," I spoke in a-matter-of-fact tone. "But, you know he doesn't listen."

"Kiss up..." Edward sneered, glaring at me from the corner of his eye.

I only smirked, and stuck my tongue out at the blonde alchemist. Then, I turned my attention to the tall, burly Major who continued his stare-down with the oldest Elric brother. Edward was definitely going to get it now... He was busted.

"I WAS SO WORRIED!" The major cried, as tears began to stream down his defined cheekbones.

With that, the muscular man flung himself onto the scrawny blonde alchemist in a tight bear hug. I stood there in place in a daze -no... dumbstruck was a better word for it. Yeah, definitely dumbstruck-. My arms relaxed and dropped to my sides as I watched the major continue to coo and wail while continuing to hold the shrieking blonde in a bone-crushing hug (and I'm sure _that_ was literally happening).

"W-wait..." I began. "Aren't you _mad_ at him, Major Armstrong...?"

"Mad?" he repeated, almost bewildered. "How could I be mad at someone who was nearly killed! Edward Elric may have disobeyed a direct order, but he manage to survive a nearly fatal experience! If _you_ had gone with him and ended up in the same situation, I wouldn't be mad at you either!"

_You're kidding me... right?_ I pondered in my mind. So... I could've snuck out with the brothers and do my share of butt-kicking at the laboratory. Smiling awkwardly, I slowly turned my head and looked up at the Sergeant and Lieutenant, who, unsurprisingly, both stared down at me with matching expressions of disapproval.

Rubbing the back of my head, I chuckled nervously. "Like I said... I have more common sense..."

The two soldiers kept their gaze locked onto me for a few more moments before turning their attention back to the burly Major, who continued to squeeze Edward, and, if I wasn't mistaken, I was sure that I noticed Edward's bandage on his stomach starting to turn a dark red color. I placed my hand over my mouth as I felt my face loosing heat and looked away, clutching my stomach with my free arm.

"Major Armstrong, sir!" Ross asserted. "I would suggest that you refrain from harming Edward any further, or else he would be under more critical condition than he's already in."

As soon as she finished, the Major released Edward and stood up straight and cleared his throat. "Right. My apologies, Mr. Elric."

"N-no problem..." Edward answered breathlessly, twitching his flesh fingers. "I might need some more bandages though."

"Shall I inform your doctor?" Armstrong inquired.

"Actually..." the blonde alchemist spoke. "I called Winry yesterday to come fix up my automail. Her train should be here in another hour, so maybe you could head down to the station to pick her up."

Armstrong nodded. "It would be my pleasure."

After that, the Major turned on his heel and walked towards the door. I looked over from my side of the room and watched as the Major opened the large, wooden door and began to stride out into the hall. Giving Edward one last glance, I stood up straight and dusted the imaginary dirt of my pants.

"Well, I best get going," I announced, shoving my hands in my pockets and sauntering towards the door.

"Y-you're leaving already, Mr. Russo, sir?" Brosh inquired from where he stood.

Placing my hand on the door handle, I glanced over my shoulder at the two soldiers. "Yeah. I've pretty much said all I needed to say to Captain Shorty over there." I jerked my thumb over my shoulder at the twitching blonde on the bed.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SHORT HE COULD-" Edward began.

However, before he could finish his rant, he grunted and winced in pain, quickly clutching his bandaged abdomen with his flesh hand. Lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Brosh were quickly at his side in case he needed any assistance, but the blonde only shrugged them off saying that he was fine.

As soon as I noticed another spurt of blood stain his bandages, I quickly turned my attention away from the trio and opened the door. "I'm out."

With that announcement, I immediately stepped into the hall, slamming the door closed behind me. A slight burning sensation of acid began to build up in the back of my throat, but I quickly swallowed it back down before any of my other reflexes could take over.

Disgusting. I know...

Hospitals are the _last_ places in this world that I would ever want to be.

After taking a few deep breaths, I adjusted my cap then strode down the hall to the main entrance of the hospital. As soon as I pushed the double doors open, I winced and shielded my eyes from the sudden ray of sunlight that nearly blinded my vision. After a few moments, my eyesight gradually began to adjust, and as soon as I looked down at the bottom of the staircase, I caught sight of the tall, muscular Major, who was making his way towards a black military van. Maybe I could kill some time and tag along. I mean, it's been a while since I saw that blush-prone blonde mechanic.

"Hey, Major!" I called out to him as I descended the stairs.

The balding man stopped in place and then turned to face me as I strode across the concrete pathway towards him. "Do you need something, Mr. Russo?"

"Yeah," I answered, stopping in front of him. "Could I tag along with you to the train station?"

"Are you sure?" he inquired. "Wouldn't you rather stay with your partner?"

My lips curled into a half smile as I scoffed. "Nah. I feel like the longer I stay with him, the more tempted I'll be to put him in a body cast. I mean," I added, climbing into the vehicle, "you saw how bad are argument was earlier."

Armstrong blinked. "I thought you said you two were just having a loud-."

I sighed and gave a small shrug. "Loud Discussion... Argument... Same thing." Then, I bent over, so not to hit my head on the top of the vehicle, and then slid over to a seat. "Now, let's get going."

After situating myself in the seat, Major Armstrong climbed into the vehicle and seated himself across from me. As I gazed over at him, I mentally sighed with relief glad that I wasn't sitting beside him. He took up nearly the entire seat. Well, muscles were heavier than fat, and apparently they took up more room.

Well, at least I had the whole seat across from the bulky Major all to myself, and I was sure to take advantage of it. Resting my back against the door, I lifted my legs onto the seat, shifting my body from side to side until I felt comfortable. Releasing a deep breath, I gazed out the back window at the shrinking scenery.

**~ . . * . . ~**

Out of all the times I've been in the Central Train Station with either the Elrics or by myself... _THIS_ was probably the most busy I have seen it. As I gazed around, I identified all sorts of different people climbing off the platform and collecting their luggage, or filing onto the train. There were businessmen dressed in dark suits conversing among themselves, while parents held onto their children's hands as they weaved through the bustling crowd.

As soon as I looked back towards the train, I realized that I had lost sight of the Major. _Great,_ I thought, _It's Lior all over again... _I sighed in irritation, and after glancing around for only a moment, I spotted a blonde curl atop a balding scalp. Well, at least Armstrong was tall enough spot in a crowd like this.

Keeping my eyes locked on the Major, I pushed my way through the crowd; however, sometimes I would have to maneuver my way around luggage carts, keeping my eyes focused on the Major.

Right when I was about to call out to him to wait, the a large hand grabbed my shoulder and turned me around. I yelped in surprise, and was about to holler at the person who grabbed me. However, all that came out was a little squeak as I stared up into the faces of two older men in their late teens or early twenties.

The first man had thick, brunette locks tied back into a low ponytail. He was fair skinned, which actually looked a little darker because of the pale, dark green jacket he was wearing over his black shirt. His pale, khaki slacks were rather baggy, but at least he had a black leather belt fastened around his waist to keep his pants from falling down.

His companions was darker skinned and a bit more lanky. His raven-black hair was barely noticeable since it was shaved so close to his scalp. His copper brown eyes were more rounded, but had a matching piercing gaze as his companion. He wore a white, button down shirt, with he first two top buttons undone, and a black jacket, that matched his dark slacks.

"Thought you could get away, huh?" the brunette spoke, still holding onto my wrist.

"Well, I wasn't really trying to..." I answered, nonchalantly. I paused for a minute to regain my composure. "So, what do you guys want?"

"What we _want_ is what you _stole_!" the darker-haired boy answered.

I raised an eyebrow in confusion as I glanced over at him. What I stole? As far as I knew I was minding my own business and didn't steal anything that was worth stealing.

"I have no idea what you're talking about-" I began.

However, I was cut off when the brunette grasped the collar of my shirt and pulled me forward to that my face was mere inches away from his. "You know damn well what I'm talking about, you little brat! You think you could get away with stealing someone's wallet, huh?"

"Wallet?" I repeated. "Like I said, I have _no_ idea what you're talking about. You've got the wrong person, dumbass."

"That's it!" the brunette yelled, reeling his arm back.

Before he could launch his fist into my face, I quickly ducked then jabbed my free elbow into his stomach. The brunette grunted and released me, bending over and clutching his stomach.

I watched as he fell to his side, writhing in pain, and then I shrugged. "You're nothing but a talker."

"You little twerp!" the darker skinned adult roared, swinging his fist into my face.

Nearly gasping in shock, I took the hit and staggered backwards, nearly landing on my rear. After swaying to and fro for a few moments, I shook my head to clear my thoughts, and then I quickly slid to the side before he could land another punch on me. Even though the side of my face was throbbing in pain, I dropped down low enough to slam my palms on the concrete. Instantly after the blue strobe of alchemic light, a pillar of stone shot up slamming into the raven-haired male and knocking him to the ground.

I smirked as I stood straight up. "Well, too bad your attacks were pointless against an alchemist like me."

"But alchemists are useless if they can't use their hands!" a male voice growled from behind me.

Before I had the chance to whirl around, my wrist was tightly grasped with one hand and held in place at my stomach, while the other was grabbed and twisted behind my back. I screeched in agonizing pain as my bones began to feel like they were being twisted out of their joints. I glared over my shoulder to find the brunette male holding me hostage.

"All right, you little brat!" he spoke. "Hand over the wal-"

Suddenly, there was a loud _THUD _from behind m_e_, cutting him off. The man holding me captive was silent for a few moments, but then his grasp relaxed, and then he toppled over sideways. I blinked in confusion as I stared down at the unconscious male, and then over to his companion, who stared at him in shock.

"You boys seem to enjoy picking fights," a deep, womanly voice spoke as a figure stepped in front of me. "Why don't we continue this fight two-on-two, just to make things fair."

"Why?" the darker skinned-boy retorted. "We don't have any issues with _you_! It's just _him_!"

With that he jabbed an accusing finger at me, while I scowled and stuck my tongue out at him.

"Oh? What did he do wrong?" the woman asked.

"He stole my buddy's wallet!" the male snapped.

"Did _not_!" I retorted.

There was a moment's pause as the womanly figure stepped down and picked something up off the concrete flooring. As I glanced at the small leather pouch in her hand, I grinned and shot an _"I-told-you-so"_ look at the dark-skinned boy.

"Well, now it's been found and retrieved," the woman spoke, tossing the boy the wallet.

The dark-skinned boy stammered as he glanced from the woman to his friend, who was beginning to regain consciousness, and then to the wallet in his hand.

"What? Is it not his?" the woman asked.

"I-it's his, but-"

"But, what? Are you just itching for another fight?" She then placed had fist in her open hand and cracked her knuckles for emphasis.

The raven-haired boy flinched and seemed to pale as he stared up at the woman. Even though I couldn't see it, I assumed that the woman had an intimidating look on her face right about now. I mean, the man looked like he was about to wet himself... or he already did. Scrambling to his feet, he grabbed his brunette companion by the wrist and hauled him up and disappeared into the crowd.

"Are you all right?" the woman asked, turning to me.

I glanced up at her for the first time since she stepped in to save me, and I must admit that I was rather surprised that those boys were frightened by someone like _her_! To me, she didn't look intimidating at all. She was a rather young-looking and well-toned woman with a curvaceous build; I'd probably estimate her age around early twenties or so. Along with her figure, she was tall and rather muscular. She had fair skin and black hair that was coiled in tiny microbraids; the color of her hair also matched her deep black eyes.

I returned her soft smile with my own, and then I nodded. "Yeah, thanks, I-"

Suddenly, the woman smile quickly faded as she clutched her stomach and bent over halfway. I reached my hand out in case she needed any assistance; however, I yelped in surprise as she began to regurgitate blood. Not just drips. It looked more like a waterfall of blood.

"Am _I_ okay?" I shrieked, still in shock, my eyes still staring at the blood dripping from her mouth as she stood back up straight. "I should be asking _you_ that question!"

"Izumi!" a deep male voice bellowed.

The woman, who I presumed was Izumi, and I both glanced over to find a large, muscular male pushing through the crowd and rushing over to us. He had a scruffy brown bears and mustache combo that was beginning to grey at the roots. What made me stiffen was his rather angry-looking face, but I doubted that was his feeling. It must've just been the old age setting in on his features.

"Don't run off and get yourself hurt," he chided the woman.

The woman smiled adoringly up at them man. "Aw, I'm fine, dear. It was so sweet of you to worry about me."

_Wait a second..._ I mused as I glanced from the woman to the man. _These two are a married couple?_

Well, the golden ring on the woman's left finger answered my question for me. But, I still stared at the couple bewildered. She was so young and he was so much older.

"I was just helping this lad out with some street thugs trying to take advantage of him," the woman, known as Izumi, explained to her husband, turning to me with a soft smile.

"Y-yeah," I affirmed, still in shock. I cleared my throat to regain my composure. "Thanks for that..."

I trailed off not knowing her name, but the woman gave a small smile and answered, "Just a simple housewife passing through. And this," she added, wrapping her arms around the bulky, older man, "is my charming, sweet husband."

"Well, its nice to meet you both," I spoke with a small smile. "Thanks again for helping me out."

"Anytime." Then she turned to me with a smirk and placed a hand on her hip. "I must say that I was quite impressed that someone like you is an alchemist." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the pillar of concrete for emphasis.

I beamed at the recognition. "Thanks, I _did_ have a pretty good teacher-"

"But, you have a long way to go."

Well that was certainly a needle to my ego-bubble.

"Excuse me?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"You form needs a little work," the women explained, her gaze hardening and her deep, black eyes transforming into a piercing stare. "The angle of tragectory was a bit off, and the amount of cement used was a overdone. I suggest more practice and, maybe, researching a few different circles."

I clenched my hand into fist as I held back the urge to start a fight with the woman. After seeing how muscular her husband was, picking a fight with her was the last thing I wanted.

Loosening my grasp somewhat, I managed to allow a small smile cross my face. "Sure. I'll look into my text books once I get back home."

The woman nodded. "Well, anyway, we best be going." With that she turned around and gave a small wave.

I waved back, and as soon as she and her husband both disappeared, I released a ragged frustrated breath. "What does _she_ know about alchemy? Isn't mine good enough?"

With that said, I glanced over at the pillar of cement and tilted my head to the side. After a second glance, I noticed that it was indeed a bit off. Well, maybe she did have a point. Dropping to my knees, I placed my hands on the ground, transmuting the cement back to normal, and then I released a deep sigh.

"Mr. Russo!" A deep voice bellowed through the crowd.

Raising an eyebrow, I stood back up while turning around to find Major Armstrong along with Winry Rockbell, who was carrying a large case over her shoulder, rushing up to me.

"Are you all right?" Armstrong inquired, as he and Winry came to a halt. "We heard the commotion and saw the alchemic light-"

"Everything's all right now, Major," I reassured him with a wave. "It's all taken care of."

"Is that... what I think it is...?" Winry stammered, pointing a trembling hand at something on the ground.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I glanced down in the direction she was pointing, but quickly regretted my decision when I noticed a small puddle of blood that Izumi had coughed up earlier.

"Yeah... sadly it is..." I answered. "But it's not mine!"

Major Armstrong and Winry both exchanged confused countenances with each other, but said nothing more. Putting the situation aside, the three of us maneuvered through the crowd and back outside to the parked military vehicle. Winry climbed in first and laid her large case on the floor of the vehicle

As soon as I climbed into the vehicle and sat down next to the blonde mechanic, she scooted a few inches away from me. Raising an eyebrow, I glanced over at her quizzically. Her feet were flat on the floor, and her hands were wrung and placed in her lap. She gazed out the window on the other side of the car, with a tint of pink covering her cheeks.

"Winry?" I inquired. She flinched and snapped her head in my direction. "You okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. J-just fine," she answered quickly with a smile.

She sure wasn't acting 'fine' to me.

"You sure?" I inquired. "You're a little jumpy-"

"Me? Jumpy?" she inquired, then gave a small laugh. "N-no, of course not. Why would I be jumpy? It's not like I'm nervous about anything."

With that, she gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of her head with her hand. I continued to stare at her even more confused than ever. I could understand if she was worried about Edward, especially since he was in critical condition in the hospital. By the way she was acting... she was _definitely_ nervous about something...

"Ah~ Young love~" Armstrong sighed dreamily as he sat down in the seat across from us. "It's so beautiful!"

"H-huh?" Winry exclaimed, snapping her head towards the bulky Major. "N-no! It's not like that! I don't like him _that_ way!"

"Yeah," I answered, lounging back in the chair. "I mean, she and Ed have known each other all their life. They're just friends. But," I added with a shrug. "That's as far as I know."

The Major chuckled, and the corner of his mouth curled into a half smile. I only blinked as I looked at him waiting for him to say something else. Armstrong said nothing more, not even after the vehicle jolted to a start and began rolling down the paved road towards the hospital.

Glancing over at Winry, I found that she had turned her attention to the window, staring at the passing scenery. I still couldn't discern what made her so jumpy. Was there something on my face? Was my hair messed up? Shrugging, I let it slide, then gazed out the window on my side of the vehicle.

**~ . . * . . ~**

As soon as we entered the hospital, Armstrong, Winry, and I walked down the maze-like halls of the building towards Edward's room. How doctors and nurses can maneuver around the building without getting lose, I'll never know. I mean, every hallway and door we passed looked exactly the same!

Well, on the plus side, the doors were shut, so anyone in critical care with a blood bag hanging up by their bed couldn't be seen and make me throw up and/or pass out. If _that_ happened... I may be stuck in one of those hospital rooms.

While walking with the Major and the mechanic, I spotted a gleam of light reflecting off a metal surface from the corner of my eye. Backing up a few steps, I turned around to find Alphonse Elric sitting down on a bench in a darker, intersecting hallway. He had his head up, as if he were deep in thought about something.

"Al?" I asked, walking over to him.

The large armor came to life at the sound of his name, then he glanced over at me. "Dani? What're you doing here?"

"Coming over to talk to you," I answered simply, sitting down beside him.

Alphonse's child-like chuckle rang inside his hollow armor. "No. I mean, what are you doing at the hospital?"

"Well, I originally came to give your no-good brother a piece of my mind," I answered, crossing my leg over my knee. "Then, I went with the Major to go pick up Winry, and, well, here I am now talking to you."

"I see..." the younger Elric mused, turning his helmet to face the tiled floor. The two of us sat there in silence for a while, until Al spoke up once more. "Do you think... I really exist?"

I blinked, staring up at him. What kind of a question was that? "Well, yeah. Sure I do." Then I gave a small laugh added with a small smile. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be talking to you right now, would I?"

"Not that..." Alphonse began. "I mean... do you really think I'm Alphonse Elric?"

Now I was really confused. What would make Al think he's not... well, Al?

"Well," I began with a shrug, "unless your mom wanted a daughter and called you 'Francis', I'd want to be known as Al to save myself the embarrassment." A sigh emanated through the hollow armor. "What? Did I misinterpret the question again?" I stared at the younger Elric waiting for his response, but none came. "Look, I guess what I'm trying to say is... some things, like your name or your family, you're just given. But," I continued releasing a sigh, "your personality, your goals, and your dreams... their yours to choose. They make up who you are. Sometimes, they change though, like everything else."

I looked up at Al once more. His head was hung and the red glow in the hollow eyes of the helmet were fixed on the tiled floor. I didn't quite understand what Alphonse meant by 'the real Alphonse', so I my advice on what I was trying to say may have been unrelated to whatever was bothering him.

After a few more moments of silence, I stood up giving Al a simple 'see ya', then walked down the hall and began to turn the corner. After taking only a few steps down the hall, the clanking and scraping of metal against each other echoed from behind me. Stopping, I turned around to find the younger Elric brother towering over me.

"Wanna come along?" I inquired with a smirk.

"Yeah," he answered with a nod, "I need to talk to Ed anyway..."

I nodded understandingly, and then the two of us ventured down the maze-like hallway until we reached the wooden double doors of Edward Elric's room. We would've gotten lost, but there was a loud commotion and a mixture of shouting voices growing louder until it lead to the source. I sighed, knowing that Ed was the one doing most of the screaming, so I volunteered to enter the room first.

"HEY!" I shouted shoving the doors open. I stepped into the room as all eyes turned to me. "You'd better not be getting yourself into trouble Elr-" I paused when I noticed Edward sitting up in bed with Winry, who was pinching his face with her hand, sitting beside him. A smirk curled on my face as I eyed the two blondes on the bed. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was I interrupting _something_?"

Both the blonde alchemist and the mechanic flinched and scooted away from each other to opposite ends of the bed. "IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!"

"What are you even doing back here, Russo?" Edward inquired, jabbing a finger at me.

I shrugged. "I came with the Major to drop Winry off. I was going to leave after that, but I ran into Al on the way here."

I jerked my thumb over my shoulder for emphasis at the armored soul. Silence fell in the room as everyone, including the Major, Ross, and Brosh, glanced at the door behind me, some even moving their head to the side as f they were trying to peer around me. What? Al was taller than I was. Was it really difficult to see him.

"Where is he?" Ed inquired, staring at the door confused.

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I turned around to find nothing but the double wooden doors; and even as I glanced through the small windows into the hall and even opened the door and looked down both aisles, I couldn't find an sign of the younger Elric brother.

"Well," I began, pulling my body back into the room and closing the door. "He _was_ there..."

Edward rolled his eyes as if disbelief, and then he laid down on his stomach while Winry opened her toolbox. After drawing out a few wrenches and screwdrivers and other assorted tools, Winry sat herself on a stool next to Edward's bed, while the three soldiers left the room to give the mechanic some privacy, and concentration.

For the next hour or so, I sat in a corner on a stool watching Winry twist a wrench over and over ... and over. Yawning, I gazed out the window as the fading sunlight began to fill the room with an orangish hue. I was about to speak up to break the ongoing silence until my stomach churned and growled. Well, I couldn't remember when the last time I ate was, so I might as well grab a bite to eat before my stomach would devour itself.

Sliding off the stool, I strode across the room and towards the door. "I'm heading down to the cafeteria to see if this place has anything good to eat..."

"Hey, Circles," Edward called out just as soon as I my hand landed on the door handle. I scowled at the nickname, and then I glanced over at the blonde boy, who only returned my gaze with a smirk. "Could you bring me back a sandwich?"

I blinked as I stared at him from across the room. "Why...?"

"After you scared the crap out of me during lunch," he began with a grin, "you owe me."

My eyes narrowed as I slowly curled my fingers into a tight fist. Seriously? It was his own fault that he couldn't contain himself and kicked over his table! It wasn't _MY_ fault! After our stare-down for a few moments, I released a heavy sigh and releaxed my muscles.

"I hate you..." I muttered.

"I know," the blonde alchemist answered with a smirk.

Rolling my eyes at him, I opened the door and walked out into the hallway. Like hell I owe him... Screw Edward. He can get his _own_ sandwich when he gets out. My main plan was to travel to the cafeteria, pick out something to snack on, and then head back to the Hughes's apartment. Now that I think about it, I could just go back to the Hughes's place and find something to eat there.

Glancing up at a clock on the wall, I frowned, disappointed with myself. Before I left, I told Gracia Hughes that I wouldn't be at the hospital long; however, I had been dragged around the city, and it was almost evening. She was probably worried sick about me by now. Hell, I was practically mugged at the train station.

"Danielle?" a calm, but rather surprised, male voice spoke from down the hall.

Snapping out of my reverie at the mention of my name, and then I turned my head to find the Lieutenant Colonel, clad in civilian clothes as opposed to his typical blue military uniform. He wore a dark jacket over a pale red undershirt, and black dress pants. His hazel eyes were widened behind his rectangular prescription glasses as he stared unblinkingly at me, mouth half open.

Smiling at the man, I turned around to face him with a small wave. "Hey, Lieutenant Colonel. I didn't expect to see you here-"

I gasped as his strong arms were thrown around me in a tight, lung-crushing embrace. My sudden yelp was muffled as my face was smashed against his shirt, and it took all the strength I could muster just to loosen his grasp enough to turn my head to the side in order to breathe.

"You don't know how much of a reckless young lady you are," Hughes spoke, resting his chin atop my head. Then he quickly pulled away from me and then firmly grasped my shoulders with his hands, staring down at my with piercing hazel eyes. "Do you even stop and think about what you were getting yourself into? You could've been killed!"

"With all due respect, Lieutenant Colonel," I began, calmly. "I didn't sneak out to the lab _with_ the Elrics. I went to go there and teach them a lesson and bring their butts back to the hotel." As I felt Hughes's grip on my shoulders relax, I crossed my arms. "It's not like I _knew_ that there were armored psychopathic guards and stuff. Plus, I was outside with Al when the building started collapsing, and I tried to go in after Ed-"

"Oh, I didn't know that you were worrying about him," Hughes' spoke in as-a-matter-of-factly tone.

I flinched. "Worrying?" Then I laughed. "Why would I need to worry about an overpowered half-pint who knows an alchemy-shortcut? He can take care of himself. I just didn't want him killed because, if he was dead, then who would I use as a motivation to become a stronger alchemist?"

Hughes gave a small laugh. "Well, if you ever have any issues with him, you know who to talk to."

I chuckled. "Yeah. You've sat through all of my Edward rants."

"Hey, you've got to blow off steam at some point. Anyway, I'm off to go visit Ed while I'm here."

"I think he's still getting his automail patched up from Winry."

Hughes blinked in confusion. "Who?"

I only shrugged. "An old friend of his. Thin, blonde, pretty; but," I added with a chuckle. "She'll talk your ear off about automail."

"I see. Well, then I guess I'll pay Edward _and_ his girlfriend a visit." With that the lieutenant walked passed me down the hall, and gave me a wave. "I'll see you back at the apartment."

I waved back and turned in the opposite direction. I smiled and shook my head as I started walking down the hall. That lieutenant colonel was quite the character. Maybe Hughes picked up a few traits from my own father during the war, which would explain a lot since I barely remembered anything about my father except for his yearly visits from the war. Releasing a sigh at the memory, I continued down the empty corridor with nothing accompanying me except the echo of my boots on the tiled floor.

**~ . . * . . ~**

A light and joyous atmosphere filled the Hughes' apartment. Family and friends laughed and shared hearty stories with one another while the younger children laughed and raced through the small home, with their mothers' calling out to them to slow down and not knock over any furniture.

After staying with the Hughes family for nearly two years, I grew used to their large family gatherings, even though assisting with cooking all the different meals and decorating the house wore me out. At least Gracia had finished most of the decorating while I was asleep, which I was thankful for, but I still found myself making countless trips to and from the kitchen carrying out dishes and organizing them on the long dining table.

Every family celebrated birthdays differently, I knew that for sure. Everyone in the Hughes family were very well-knit and close to one another, and they always had each other's back. I wouldn't say that they were _spoiling_ little Elecia with the over-sized dinner and assortment of presents. Everyone cared about each other like one big happy family.

I knew for a fact that my birthday was a day that I was able to prance around my home and receive a slice of pie. Simple. Nothing too fancy. The best part of my birthdays were that my father was allowed to call home, whenever he was at base, and wish me a happy birthday. Those days were over now, and I wasn't the same happy-go-lucky little kid I used to be.

I sighed as I leaned against the counter using my elbows to prop myself up. This day sure had been long, and I was typically more alert and active in the afternoon; however, that squabble I got into with those punks at the station must've worn me out. Plus, I was wearing a bit more feminine clothing, which was something I wasn't used to, considering that I have been posing as a male for nearly two years; still, it was a nice change to loosen up and be myself.

"Danielle?" a voice broke through my thoughts.

I glanced up from the counter to find Gracia Hughes standing in the doorway. A look of concern was etched on her features, but I gave her a reassuring smile.

"Hey, Mrs. Hughes, I-" I stopped mid-sentence when I noticed the tray of appetizers set on the counter in front of me. Where was my mind at these days? "S-sorry! I completely forgot!"

Not wanting to look like a nervous wreck, I whirled around and grabbed the handles of the tray, nearly spilling a bowl of dip in my haste. Balancing the contents on the tray, I made my way towards the dining room.

"Is something wrong, dear?" asked Gracia as I organized the tray onto the table.

"No," I half lied as I picked the tray back up. "I've just got a lot on my mind. That's all."

Without another word, I strode back into the kitchen to brind another tray of food into the dining area. There were points where she'd protest and offer to finish up the job for me, but I wouldn't hear any of it. The Hughes family had to weave taking care of me into their already busy schedule with the birthday preperations. I wasn't going to slack off and put even more on their plate.

As soon as the last dish was set on the table, the cheery lieutenant colonel's voice rang out through the whole complex. I smiled as I peered around the corner at the man as he knelt down to take his daughter in his arm, giving her a great big 'Happy Birthday' hug as he spun her around. As he struck up a conversation with each of the family members and friends who were attending, my eyes landed on a familiar platinum blonde haired girl around my age. She gazed around the colorfully decorated room with widened blue eyes, puzzled and a little uneasy around the unfamiliar crowd.

"Winry?" I inquired, walking over to her.

The girl perked up at the sound of her name, and she spun on her heel immidiately to face me. One her eyes met mine, she took in a sharp gasp and her eyes widened even more as a tint of pink streaked her cheeks. "D... D-D-Daniel! I, uh," she trailed off as she looked around the room. She cleared her throat and glanced away. "I... didn't expect to see _you_ here..."

_She's doing that blushing thing again._ I mentally noted. _She is so weird..._

Before I could say anything to her, the jovial lieutenant stepped in, wrapping an arm around each of our shoulders. "Ah, Dani, I see that you've met Miss Winry."

"Yeah," I answered. "We actually met back when you dropped me off at the Rockbell Automail shop-"

"Ah, so you will get along just fine," the lieutenant cheered. "Winry is going to be spending the night with us tonight, so you two will be roomates."

Winry's face turned tomato red and she let out a loud: "Huh?!".

I only grinned. "Fine with me."

"Wh-what?!" Winry shrieked. "A-are you sure it's okay that... that I share a room with _you_?!"

Raising an eyebrow, I stared at her confused. "Yeah, I don't have a problem with it." What was so wrong about two girls sharing a room? Isn't that the main point of 'roomates'?

Hughes clapped a hand on Winry's shoulder, bringing the girl out of her daze. "All right then, I'll help you get settled in, Miss Winry, and then we can get together for dinner."

With that, Hughed shouldered Winry's luggage with that cheesy smile still on his face, and then he took Winry's wrist and practically dragged her towards the guest room. Winry followed the lieutenant with her head hung, not wanting any of the guests to notice her beet red face. I watched as the two disappeared into the crowd, and then sighed.

"Dee-dee~!" cheered a small voice, followed by a tug on my arm. I yelped at the sudden tug and looked down to find the birthday girl, Elicia, with a wide grin as she proceeded to drag me over to the large dining table where the rest of the guests either stood or sat around. "Come and sit by me at the table!"

She took her place at the head of the table in front of the cake and ushered me to sit down. I smiled at the little girl, who was soon joined by her parents along with Winry Rockbell. The suddn pop of the the confetti canon when the strings were pulled nearly gave me a heart attack, but I chimed in with the chorus of 'Happy Birthday, Elecia!' as she blew out her candles.

The rest of the night was pleasant. Dinner was phenominal, but that was to expect from an amazing cook like Gracia Hughes. When it came time for presents, Elicia dragged Winry and I to the chairs to sit beside her as she opened each of her gifts. Even though Winry was on the other side of Elicia, I could tell that the blonde was trying to avoid eye contact with me the entire time.

As the adults and children gathered in their own groups, I sighed, strolling back into the dining room from the kitchen for the umpteenth time, deciding to take a small break from being "assistant hostess". As I leaned against the wall, I subtly glanced around the room at the diffferent groups. Gracia was chatting with each one of the adults and catching up with one another. I expected the lieutenant colonel to be in that conversation, but instead, I found him sitting beside Winry, who held little Elicia in her lap. I wasn't sure what their conversation was about, but I shrugged it off, guessing that the lieutenant colonel was just getting to know Winry better.

After growing tired of 'people watching' I concluded my break and decided to occupy myself with small chores, or whatever I could find around the complex that would help Gracia out after the party; however, I barely made it across the room before I was dragged by the little girl to play with her and her friends.

**~ . . * . . ~**

I collapsed on my bed thoroughly exhausted from the long day I experienced. It was nearly midnight, and I had just finished a quick shower after assisting Gracia with cleaning up while she put Elicia to bed. As I crawled under the covers, I noticed the platinum blonde teen shift under her, slipping the bedding over her shoulders. She was in a seperate bed across the room... why would she be so nervous?

But a more important question came to my mind: "You're still awake?"

"Mmhm," she answered quickly. "I... I had to much cake and, uh..." she glanced over at me with a sheepish grin, "Uh, the sugar is still in my system so... I can't fall asleep." She added with anervous laugh.

Something in my gut told me that was a complete lie. I doubted that Winry was _always_ this nervous and jumpy; hell, even Edward thought she was acting a bit strange back when we were in Resembool, and he knew her better than I did. Still, I didn't question the blonde about her behavior, and I slipped into bed.

We shared out 'goonights', and I reached my hand up to switch of the lamp, morphing the small guest room into complete darkness. It only took a few minutes before my eyes adjusted to the benighted room, with the dim, clity light filtering through the thick curtains. I let out a deeo breath, allowing my body to relax. I'll admit that even after exhausting myself from running around the city all day and assiting Gracia with the party, I couldn't force myself to go to sleep.

So much had been on my mind. There was the Philosopher's Stone leads and thoroughly planning my specialized transmutation once I got the stone, and then there was always developing any needed 'back up' plans incase anything went awry, especially if an officer stumbled upon my true identity and had to take it up with the Fuhrer. I shuddrered at the mere thought of what would occur. The lieutenant colonel always said that covering a lie up with a lie would only get you into deeper trouble, but that all depended on how developed said lie was.

I released a deep breath to clear the wave of overwhelming thoughts from my mind, and then I closed my eyes.

"Daniel?" Winry's cautiously whispered.

"Yeah?" I asnwered.

"If..." she began, trailing off as she let out a small squeak. "If you're the type, kinda like Ed-"

"Edward and I are _not_ alike," I growled.

Winry flinched and stammered to regain her composure. "Well, uh... anyway... If something is ever bothering you, or... if you just wanna talk..." she trailed off for a minute, leaving the room still silence for the next few but long moments. "I'm here to listen."

My eyes widened somewhat at her offer. I barely knew this girl, and she was offering to listen to my problems like some therapist. I stared at the wall deep in thought. I couldn't let her pick through my brain to see what makes me tick. Winry barely knew me, and I barely knew her, except for what Edward and Alphonse filled us in on each other. Honestly, I'd rather get to know the person myself instead of relying on other's opinions and expereinces with that person.

"I'll think about it," I answered, shrugging the bedding over my shoulder.

Winry said nothing more as the room filled with silence once more, and we each individually slipped into sleep.

**~ . . * . . ~**

Early the next morning, I found myself walking through the complex like a mindless zombie. I yawned as I staggered into the dining area of the Hughes' apartment complex, nearly running into the wall on my way through the doorframe. Like always, I was the last one in the home to wake up, and I probably would've slept through lunch if it wasn't for Gracia Hughes calling out that breakfast was served.

I took a seat at the table across from Winry, who looked just as exhausted as I did. I'm sure that both Gracia and Maes Hughes were just as exhausted, especially after last night's big celebration. Some of the baloons and banners were still hanging in the room, mostly because Elicia didn't want them taken down because she thought it "made the room look pretty".

"So, how'd you both sleep?" the lieutenant colonel inquired, taking a sip of his coffee. "Did you stay up late painting your nails and braiding each other's hair?" He laughed as he said the last part.

Winry chuckled, "Eh, not really..."

"Yeah, besides there's nothing much to braid," I added, tugging on a strand of short hair.

Gracia giggled as she looked from the two of us. "Well, I'm glad that you enjoyed yourselves last night and had a good night sleep."

Winry smiled as she chewed on her food. "Yeah," she spoke after swallowing. "I can't thank you enough for letting me stay here, Mrs. Hughes."

"It was our pleasure, dear," the woman added with a kind smile. "Eclicia really enjoyed herself too."

The little girl nodded happily, confirming her mother. "Big Sister Winry and Big Sister Dee-Dee!" she cheered, pointing her spoon at each of us as she said our names.

I smiled at the little girl, and took a few more bites of food. "I guess that means you're part of the family now, Winry."

When I looked over across the table at the blonde mechanic, I was met with her blue eyes widened in shock, and her mouth hanging open. Her unblinking eyes staring straight into mine made me feel a little uneasy, and I even looked over my shoulder behind me, checking to see if she saw a huge spider on the wall that would send her into that much shock.

"Big... _sister..._?" Winry repeated. She fell silent once more as her grip on her fork relaxed and dropped onto her plate.

I slowly raised my cup to my lips as I continud to stare at her, waiting for her to say something else. And just when I thought this girl couldn't get any stranger...

After what felt like hours, Winry's hand, which was originally holding her fork, slowly curled into one finger pointing at me. "Y-you're... you're a... _girl_?"

"Yeeeaaaaaahhhhh..." I answered slowly, taking another sip of my drink.

Winry blinked a few times. Blue orbs on green gems. After another few moments, the blonde slumped back in her chair, practically spaced out from all reality. "So... all this time... I've been crushing on a girl..."

Now it was _my_ turn to be shocked. In fact, my eyes practically bulged out of my head, and I nearly choked on my drink. Luckily, I spit it back into the cup instead of coating the Hughes' dining table with backwashed orange juice and saliva. I coughed a bit and took a few deep breaths, and then I slowly looked up at Winry. Well, I was wide awake now.

"You're kidding me, right?" I asked her. _Is THIS what Pinako Rockbell was talking about when she "didn't want to burst Winry's bubble"?_ I added mentally.

Winry only laughed nervously as she hung her head. The blush returned to her face, but I could tell that _this_ type of blush was from embarassment. Well, Winry's strange behavior around me made perfect sense now.

"Looks like you _both_ have egg on your faces," Maes Hughes noted as he let out a hearty laugh.

Gracia and Elicia chimed him with him, while Winry nervously laughed, pink tinting her cheeks, and I was sure mine were just as pink. Well, I was sure that Winry was even more embarassed than I was, especially since she was head over heels for over a week before her her love bubble was burst.

"Me too!" Elicia cooed, spreading her scrambled eggs all over her face.

We all couldn't help but laugh along with the little girl while her mohter wiped her face clean with the napkin. The lieutenant colonel jumped up from his chair bidding his wife not to clean anymore of Elicia's face until he took a picture of her. Instantly after that, the man disappeared into the complex, frantically searching for his camera. I could imagine the look on his cohort's faces, especially Colonel Mustang's, when Hughes goes to work and shows off the picture.

Winry and I continued our laughing fit as we watched the lieutenant snap millions of pictures of his smiling, face coated with eggs daughter. It was as if the whole embarassing moment between me and the blonde mechanic never occurred. To be honest, I felt rather sorry for the girl, especially if she ended up heartbroken that her knight in shining armor was female. Hopefully, she wouldn't see me as a different person now that she knew my true gender. Still, after what Winry offered last night, I felt like I could trust her. I never had any friends growing up, especially female companions, so I had a feeling that Winry and I were going to get along swimmingly.

* * *

**And SCENE!**

**All right guys~! Thanks for Reading!**

**I'll admit that I actually spent time on and off writing this chapter in the span of a couple of months... So... I probably should kick it into gear and get more dedicated to this fic so I don't procrastinate or slack off as much. I mean... I kept you guys hanging on the cliffhanger for nearly a year...**

**Anywho~ Rate a Review, and I'll see you all next chapter!**


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